KARACHI: The Sindh government has announced multiple initiatives to address climate change challenges, including farmer training, constructing watercourses, introducing smart subsidies, solar lift pumping, laser land leveling, crop reporting, and digitizing agricultural marketing.
Sindh Minister for Agriculture Sardar Muhammad Bux Mahar chaired a meeting on the Sindh Water and Agricultural Transformation (SWAT) Project on Wednesday. Secretary Agriculture Sohail Ahmed Qureshi, Project Director Dr. Liaquat Ali Bhutto, the MD of Sindh Seed Corporation, the deputy secretary of the agriculture department, and other officials attended the meeting, where the agriculture secretary briefed the minister on the project.
Mahar outlined that the project will cover nine districts, including Ghotki, Sukkur, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Hyderabad. Key initiatives include constructing 185 new watercourses, completing the lining of 500 watercourses, and launching awareness and training programs for 14,575 farmers, including women farm workers.
The training will focus on efficient water use, fertiliser application, improving agricultural productivity, and seed optimization.
The project will also provide smart subsidies covering 100,000 acres, with additional subsidies for pulses, vegetables, oilseeds, and orchards on 1,000 acres. Drip irrigation systems will be installed on 900 acres, and financial assistance will be provided to farmers for purchasing modern agricultural equipment, seeds, and fertilizers.
Mahar highlighted the significant impact of climate change on agriculture, citing droughts, water scarcity, and floods as major challenges. He emphasized the importance of adopting climate-smart agriculture and improving water storage and irrigation techniques.
The provincial government has already distributed Rs19 billion in subsidies to farmers affected by floods and rains.
The Sindh Water and Agricultural Transformation Project, part of the Water Saving and Productivity Enhancement Project, aims to enhance agricultural efficiency and mitigate climate impacts. It is scheduled for completion by December 2028.
