A four-day (June 10 -13, 2013) training workshop on Soil and Water Management Techniques for Semi Arid Regions commenced at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) here on Monday, for capacity building of local farmers in terms of soil & water management and introduce them new water harvesting techniques to effectively save the surplus water and later use for agriculture/productive purpose.
The workshop was organized by the Department of Environmental Sciences, PMAS-AAUR in collaboration with Institute for Plant Protection, National Research Center Italy (CNR) and Ministry of Foreign Affair Italy under the project Training and Capacity Building in Sustainable Agriculture Water Management.
On the inaugural session of the workshop, Dr. Manzoor Hussain Somroo, Chairman Pakistan Sciences Foundation was the chief guest while Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad was the guest of honor. In the workshop researchers, farmers, and people from NGO’s, Agriculture Extension Departments, Education and Research organizations are participating.
Dr. Manzoor Hussain Somroo, Chairman Pakistan Sciences Foundation in his address, appreciated the efforts of PMAS-AAUR to make good collaboration with CNR Italy and working on a hot issue sustainable water. He also informed the gathering that if any Pakistani scientist wishes to do work with European Union 2020 mission on different issues related to the water management and it’s sustainable use in Pakistan the PSF will supports him. He also stressed that there is a need of capacity building programmes to promote water management system and urged the young scientists to come up with innovative solutions to the issues being faced by nation in current scenario.
Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, PMAS-AAUR in his address said that in 1950s Pakistan had surplus water over 5,000 M3 which is now about 1,000 M3 and in 2050 it would further be decreased near 500 M3. He stressed that we have to work on war footings to confront this issues. He also recommended that it’s time to increase investments in water reservoirs; improve water management, irrigation and crop cultivation; introduce rainwater harvesting and launch of mass awareness campaigns. He also suggested that we have to focus on efficient irrigation methodologies, like raised bed, furrow system, drips and sprinklers and to improve the condition of water shed areas by introducing terracing, contouring and many other Soil and Water conservation practices.
Dr. Bruzzono Domenico, Incharge Desk of International Developing Cooperation, in his address urged the participants to come forward and play their vital role to save the water and assured full support from the Italian Embassy to cooperate in education & research in areas of mutual interest and to establish mutual scientific, and educational programmes in order to assert and to consolidate relationships between two countries.
On the first day of the worksho, Dr. Mauro Centritto, Director, Institute for Plant Protection CNR Italy, Dr. K. Chartzoulakis, Institute for Olive tree and Subtropical Plants Greece, Dr. Rosario Napoli and Dr. Nicloa Laruccia from Agricultural Research Council Italy delivered their lectures on different topics related to Soil and Water management techniques. It may be recalled that six members forigen scientists are also attending this workshop.
In the four day training workshop participants will get knowledge about the climate change in drylands, sustainable irrigation water management, soil management to optimize water storage and improving fertility in semi-arid areas, water quality for irrigation, impact of climate change on Potohar region, irrigation scheduling and crop water requirements, opportunities for olive production in Potohar region Punjab. In the workshop field activity is also included and practical work will also be done by the participants about effects of irrigation and water quality on growth yield and oil quality of olives, soil-water system, basic soil description, soil sampling for hydrological characterization and soil horizons infiltration and permeability measures on site. The participants will also get instrumental techniques training which includes fundamentals of solar radiation, agrometeorological instruments (i) as well as agrometeorological instruments (ii).
In Pakistan we have a big problem of unavailability of water for irrigation purpose and after this training extension staff, field researchers will get some new ideas and innovative techniques to harvest water and use for sustainable agriculture purpose to improve the crop production specially focusing on arid and semi arid region of Pakistan.
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