National Program for Improvement of Watercourses in Pakistan (Phase-II) - The Punjab Component (2019-20 to 2023-24)

The National Program for Improvement of Watercourses in Pakistan (Phase-II) - The Punjab Component (2019-20 to 2023-24) is a project funded by the Federal PSDP and Provincial ADP in Pakistan. It aims to improve water productivity and agricultural practices in the canal-irrigated areas of Punjab. Here are the key objectives and components of the project:

Project objectives

• Improve productivity of irrigation water through efficient conveyance and effective farm-level use by adopting water conservation techniques.
• Strengthen the capacity and sustainability of the private sector in delivering services to support irrigated agriculture.
• Build the capacity of stakeholders in better management of irrigation water to achieve higher crop yields with reduced production costs.
• Contribute to increase water productivity, agricultural production, higher incomes for farmers, more employment opportunities in rural areas, improved living standards for farmers, and positive environmental outcomes.

Key Components 

The major activities under the NPIW-II project include the following:

Watercourse Improvement:

• Improvement of 2,500 unimproved watercourses up to 50% of the total length to enhance conveyance efficiency.
• The additional lining of 7,500 partially improved watercourses up to 50% of their length to maximize the potential of watercourse improvement.

LASER Land Leveling:

• Provision of 9,500 LASER land levelers to farmers and service providers to strengthen LASER land leveling services in the private sector.

On-Farm Water Storage:

• Construction of 3,000 on-farm water storage ponds in irrigated areas for storing excess canal and rainwater to provide supplemental irrigation.