LARKANA: The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA), Larkana division, on Thursday expressed grave concern over the persistent shortage of irrigation water faced by tail-end farmers in various parts of the province, despite rising water levels in the River Indus.
In a press statement, SCA Larkana Division President Syed Siraj Auliya Rashdi stated that growers in Qambar-Shahdadkot district — particularly those dependent on the Warah Branch and the tail-end reaches of the Khirthar Canal — remain unable to complete paddy cultivation. He noted that the prolonged water crisis has caused acute distress among rice farmers, who have already invested heavily in expensive seeds, fertilisers, diesel and other agricultural inputs.
Similarly, the farmers dependent on the tail-end distributaries and branches of the Rice Canal in Larkana district are facing severe water scarcity. The SCA attributed the crisis to poor water management and grave administrative failures within the irrigation network.
Mr Rashdi warned that if the situation persists, tail-end growers will be unable to recover even their production costs. He added that many could ultimately be forced to abandon agriculture and migrate to urban centres in search of daily-wage labour, putting additional pressure on urban infrastructure and triggering a fresh unemployment crisis.
Expresses concern over water shortage in tail-end areas despite rising level of Indus River
The SCA strongly urged the Sindh government and the irrigation department to ensure equitable water distribution up to the tail-ends and take strict action against officials involved in corruption, malpractice, and deliberate mismanagement.
Furthermore, the chamber voiced alarm over the rising River Indus water levels, pointing out that weak and allegedly substandard protective works — including spurs installed near the Aqil–Agani Loop Bund and Nusrat Bund — have heightened the risk of riverbank erosion. Dozens of villages and settlements along the river face a serious flood threat unless preventive measures are taken immediately.
Urging the authorities to inspect and reinforce the embankments and protective structures, Mr Rashdi highlighted that reports of a potentially severe monsoon spell in Sindh after Aug 21 make timely preparedness critical.
The SCA appealed to the Sindh government to enact swift measures to eliminate corruption within the irrigation department, safeguard the rights of tail-end growers and protect riverine communities from potential flooding and erosion.
Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2026