Heavy groundwater pumping, deteriorating water quality and water scarcity are posing a serious threat to agriculture sector for which we have to take tangible measures and to promote modern technology to cope with crisis.

Heavy groundwater pumping, deteriorating water quality and water scarcity are posing a serious threat to agriculture sector for which we have to take tangible measures and to promote modern technology to cope with crisis. It was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while talking to a team of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) comprising Dr Mobin Ud Din Ahmad, Dr Geoff Podger, Dr Joel Sarout, and Dr Joyce Wo. Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that agriculture was facing major challenges including intensive temperature, water scarcity and salinity. He said that excessive extraction of water by pumps was deteriorating the water quality. He said that if the trends continue, it will worsen the crisis. He said the county can save water, more than Tarbela and Mangla dams by reusing two irrigation for wheat crop from five to three times, with water efficient wheat varieties and its harvesting on latest trends. He said being the largest crop in the country, wheat consumes 40 million acre feet of water out of total 100 MAF being used for agriculture sector. Dean Agri Engineering Allah Buksh said that said we have to make the rational use of water and we are exploiting our resources from our own hands. He said interdisciplinary approaches are need to hour to fight modern challenges including agriculture, climate change and eco system. He said that hi efficient irrigation system would pave a way to reduce the water wastage Dr Jehanzeb Chema said that we have to adopt the mitigating measures keeping climate changes in view which was playing havoc with the water resources also. He said that there is need to create the awareness among the people about the rational usage of water. Dr Mobin Ud Din Ahmad said that Australia Government was funding CSIRO for Sustainable Development Investment Portfolio to respond major regional development challenges in Pakistan for improving the water resources management, increasing agricultural productivity, farm incomes, under changing climate and promoting gender equality and improving women livelihood. Dr Geoff Podger said CSIRO is also working to built capacity of the Pakistani experts to do reverse system and cropping system modeling.