US provides $12 million for KP irrigation system

statesman.com

The United States will provide $12 million to fund construction of the Waran Canal System that will supply year-round irrigation to 28,000 acres in Tank Tehsil. The Waran Canal will expand other US-funded irrigation systems in the area to cover a total of 191,000 acres, enabling thousands of farmers to increase production of agricultural goods. "Water is one of the biggest constraints on agriculture and economic growth in Pakistan. By helping to construct this irrigation system, we hope to increase employment opportunities and incomes for local communities," said U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Country Director Jock Conly, at the project launch ceremony on Wednesday. The project will be funded through USAID and implemented in cooperation with Pakistan's Water and Power Development Authority. Currently, the area only receives water only during floods in the summer season and even that is scarce. Due to the lack of irrigation, farmers are only able to grow one crop each year, Rabi wheat. The construction of the Waran Canal irrigation system will make irrigation water available for two crop seasons, allowing farmers to plant a second crop each year and increase their overall productivity. The new irrigation system will also increase fodder production and make more water available for livestock. The Waran Canal project includes construction of a 37 km-long main canal, 127 km of secondary canals, and related structures such as bridges and falls. A drainage system and other structures serving 33 villages situated alongside the canal are also part of the project plan. Irrigation system improvements and the Gomal Zam Dam project are a part of U.S. efforts to help Pakistan improve agricultural productivity through water management improvements. The dam will generate electricity for 39,000 households, store irrigation water, and provide flood protection for the Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts. In addition, the United States plans to work with the KP Department of Agriculture to introduce high-value crops, such as off-season vegetables and fruits, as well as better animal breedstocks to build on the benefits of bringing water back to Tank and Dera Ismail Khan.