Water shortage affecting food availability

At 10:47 PM 28/09/2004 -0700, Mushtaque Rajpar wrote:

Water shortage affecting food availability

By Imtiaz Ali

KARACHI- Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his PTV interview on Monday night said that pattern of climatic changes and water shortage were major factors contributing towards shortage of wheat production. He pointed out that three years ago, the country had surplus wheat, which was exported and promised to take steps for enhancing the production of the cash crop.

Meanwhile, two-day meeting of technical committee of Irsa (Indus River System Authority) on Monday ended on note of warning. It forecasted 56pc water shortage for Rabi (winter crop). It is worth mentioning that the credibility of Irsa for issuing such forecasting has been questioned. Sindh minister for irrigation Nadir Akmal Leghari on Monday told the assembly that Irsa had indicated 10pc shortfall for Kharif crop but the shortage was more serious, adding that the matter had been taken up with Irsa.

Experts feared that the water shortage for Rabi would affect wheat crop in Sindh as October is sowing month of the cash crop in the province. The water conservation requirement for Rabi is reportedly about 36.5 MAF but the availability has been estimated at around 22-24 MAF.

Wheat is the dominant Rabi crop, which accounts for about 55 per cent of the caloric intake of the population in Pakistan, as it is main staple food. The country imported wheat throughout the 1990s but the situation changed entirely in 2000 when the govt hiked the procurement price of wheat. As a result, the production increased to a record 22 million tons and Pakistan became a net exporter in 2001. It was only year when the country had exportable surplus. It is reported that the govt would import about 3 million tons wheat this year.

“Increasing production of wheat through higher procurement price was not good public policy,” according to study carried out by Nina Gera, published in ‘Asian Survey’ (May-June 2004), journal of California University. As such policy led to increase in food price, hurting the poor. Nina Gera, who teaches in Lahore School of Economics, pointed out that domestic production of wheat is about 80 PC of requirements, and between 1992 and 1997, 2-2.5 million tons were imported annually. During 1997 and 1998, the volume of imports totaled 4 million tons.

She also said that one disturbing aspect had emerged recently when the provincial govt resorted to movement restrictions of wheat and the accumulation of surpluses in particular districts, affecting the farmers in terms of lower prices.

Nina Gera pointed out that the country supplied food to its people at reasonable prices through a system of subsidies. However, she regretted that structural adjustment programmes such as reducing the budget deficit have resulted in the removal of subsidies on wheat and agricultural inputs. “The end result has been an increase in poverty,” Nina writes.

The issue of water shortage has already generated political heat in the Sindh province. On Monday, Sindh Assembly turned down resolution against Kalabagh Dam on technical ground but the discussion raised several issues. There was issue of dominance by influential figures in utilizing water.

The irrigation minister admitted that due to illegal water connections, the entire irrigation system was spoiled and only the rich and influential persons had been imposing their will. Nadir Leghari said that water theft was touching alarming proportions in Badin and Sukkur. In such situation, the poor farmers would be further marginalized. He promised to take strict action against such persons irrespective of their political affiliations. But it has yet to be seen as the assembly has been dominated by influential figures.

Observers opined that integrated approach was needed for tackling the water shortage, which should include control on wastage through lining of canals and land reforms. As Irsa had so far failed to resolve the issue, analysts suggest activating of Council of Common Interest (CCI), which specifically deals with complaints regarding water. The purpose of the CCI was to ‘strengthen and integrate federation and provinces, iron out their differences and provide constitutional justice to the provinces.’


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