Jica, PIPD sign deal to strengthen irrigation system

Lahore: The Japan Agency for International Cooperation (Jica) has signed an agreement with the Punjab Irrigation and Power Department (PIPD) for 'strengthening of irrigated agriculture through participatory irrigation management project' in the province.

The purpose of the project is to improve, develop and rehabilitate the irrigation system in Lower Chenab Canal (West) Circle Faisalabad, Bahawalnagar Canal Circle and Derajaat Canal Circle, D G Khan. A network of 120 Farmer Organisations (FOs) will play their role in improving irrigation management and service delivery in these districts.

In this regard, a workshop was held under the auspices of Jica with the theme of 'Project Management Cycle'. Provincial Secretary Irrigation and Power, Babar Hassan Bharwana, GM PIDA Waqar Ahmad Khan, Chief Strategic Planning Cell Mian Israrul Haq, Director Agriculture Dr Maqsood, Consultant Jica M Aslam Qureshi and officers of PIDA and Agriculture Department, representatives of Jica including Dr Kanamori, Kasiwabara, Saeki, Fukazawa, Jillani and Ms Itagaki attended the event.

Secretary I&P Department told the workshop that the government's future vision in irrigation sector is focused towards ensuring integrity and sustainability of Punjab Irrigation System, making water allocations and distribution more transparent so as to achieve equity of water distribution, improving irrigation service delivery and increasing productivity.

He said the government has introduced holistic and far-reaching institutional reforms in the water sector, which includes primarily focus on farmers' involvement for better governance, transparency and sustainability of irrigation infrastructure. He said keeping in view the rural socio-economic environment, it has been considered feasible to transfer the irrigation management to Farmer Organisations by involving the farmers' community in the management affairs of irrigation system.

He hoped that the project will strengthen the services, delivery and the weak areas of canal management by having linkages with modern research in irrigated agriculture.' The training and capacity building will also be a part of this project, he concluded.