KARACHI – The CGIAR’s Nexus Gains Initiative, in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), is working to address low water productivity in Pakistan through a comprehensive strategy.
The primary objective of this strategy is to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by transforming the food, land, and water systems in the Indus Basin, with a focus on tackling low water productivity.
According to a press release issued by the IWMI on Wednesday, stakeholder consultation workshops have been organized at the federal and provincial levels, with participants from various government departments in Sindh, including WAPDA, DevCon, PCRWR, MUET Jamshoro, and the Planning and Development Department. The Environmental Flow (E-Flow) assessment of the Indus River basin is a crucial aspect of this initiative, which is a pivotal step towards sustainable water management.
To achieve this, the IWMI and the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) are set to apply an environmental flow model in the Indus Basin, with the aim of understanding the environmental water needs for various river reaches across the eastern and western rivers in the basin.
Dr. Mohsin Hafeez, Director of Water, Food & Ecosystems at IWMI, emphasized the critical nature of calculating E-Flows and highlighted the insufficient focus on E-Flow in Pakistan, citing the absence of a dedicated department and a systematic approach to acquiring data for E-Flow assessment and management in the Indus Basin.
To bridge the gap, the IWMI and PCRWR initiated stakeholder consultations at the national and provincial levels. The objective is to gather firsthand information and insights from key professionals, planners, and policymakers in the water and related sectors. This consultation aims to address crucial questions for effective E-Flow assessment and management, including understanding E-Flow requirements, identifying available datasets, evaluating existing policies, establishing prioritization at federal and provincial levels, and fostering collaboration on ongoing and planned projects.
During the consultation, led by Dr Muhammad Ashraf, former chairman of PCRWR, stakeholders emphasized the need for a unified approach towards sustainable water management. The evident trust deficit between provinces highlighted the necessity for federal entities to collaborate closely with provincial stakeholders, presenting a united front to advance the water agenda.
Stakeholders anticipate several outcomes from the collaborative effort, including increased comprehension and awareness of E-Flow requisites, identification of available datasets, prioritization at federal and provincial levels, exchange of information on ongoing and planned projects, and exploration of necessary steps within the Water-Energy-Food-Climate Nexus to address E-Flow issues.
The IWMI stated that this collective initiative aims to strengthen decision-making, promote collaboration, and establish a unified approach to effectively assess and manage E-Flow in Pakistan.
