Hyderabad:Member Provincial Assembly Sindh Ms Tanzeela Qambrani has hailed the efforts of SPO and Oxfam for the introduction of water efficient technologies to the communities of District Hyderabad Sindh.
She was speaking to the audience at ground breaking ceremony of Drip Irrigation Model at Village Muhammad Umar Halepoto of District Hyderabad Sindh, arranged by SPO with the support of Oxfam. She said that Pakistan is currently facing severe water crisis, so we must adopt the techniques to conserve water and save it for our future generations.
Director General On Farm Water Management (SOFWM)Muhammad Ramzan Baprani was also present in the event, who informed the audience that they were also running a project in Sindh for water efficient technologies, named Sindh Irrigated Agriculture Productivity Enhancement Project (SIAPEP), through which they had provided water conservation technologies to the farmers of whole province, i.e. Laser levelers, drip Irrigation units, watercourse Lining etc. while currently SIAPEP was engaged in distribution of kitchen gardening kits to needy families and women headed households in the province so that they could grow vegetables at their doorsteps by utilizing minimum level of water.
They are also rapidly working on watercourse lining in entire Sindh, as of now they are working on 5500 watercourses while additional budget for 1500 has also been sought from the World Bank.
The move was also recognized by Saeed Ahmed Jagirani, General Manager Transition (GMT) of SIDA for the organization of communities around watercourses of Akram Wah Division and forming watercourse associations of selected farmers by SPO in Hyderabad District. The SIDA management and AWB also appreciated the efforts of SPO for registration of WCAs with concerned authorities.
Jagirani, while speaking on the stage, said that SPO, AWARE and Oxfam had been running a successful project in this region. SPO and SIDA are working closely under this project, where SIDA has registered watercourse identified by the SPO.
Saleem Malik, Executive Director of SPO said: “In Pakistan, population pressures continues to tip the balance against land and water, thus it may create issue of food insecurity in future. SPO with support of Oxfam and government should facilitate the rural community particularly women so that they can get benefit of such small schemes including kitchen gardening and high efficiency drip irrigation system that will definitely help empower rural women and communities to overcome the challenges with regards to poverty and food insecurity.
Muhammad Qazilbash, the country director of Oxfam, thanked Sindh Irrigation Department, SIDA, SOFWM, SIAPEP, Agriculture Extension Department, and Area Water Board for supporting this initiative and expressed the hope that it will lead to poverty alleviation and greater food security for women farmers. “We hope that the use of high efficiency drip irrigation systems will be replicated across Sindh so as to lead to greater prosperity and empowerment of women.”
He said that OXFAM under this project was setting examples for public sector departments for further interventions for a long run. As long as Oxfam is concerned, they will be working with communities of Sindh for water conservations and maximization of nutritious fruits and vegetables.
A wide range of communities and civil society representatives, and beneficiaries of the project from Hyderabad, Tando Muhamamd Khan and Badin were also present in the event. They appreciated the efforts of SPO and Oxfam for the water conservations efforts in Sindh and expected that the interventions would last longer impacts in the communities and rural areas of lower Sindh and expected that this type of techniques will be expanded in major areas of the region.