National Agriculture Research Center Develops Portable Solar Irrigation System To Irrigate Large Scale Of Land Holdings

National Agriculture Research Center (NARC) has developed a high efficiency 'Portable Solar Irrigation System' for the farmers living along the rivers and nullahs to irrigate a large scale of land holdings.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Apr, 2018 ) :National Agriculture Research Center (NARC) has developed a high efficiency 'Portable Solar Irrigation System' for the farmers living along the rivers and nullahs to irrigate a large scale of land holdings.

This high efficiency irrigation system would help to conserve the swiftly depleting natural water resources and strengthening the ground water table by using the efficient and innovative mode of irrigation technologies.

Briefing media, parliamentarians, high level policy makers, members of academia, professionals and donors during an exposure visit to the Climate Smart Training and Learning site at Soroba Chakri, organized by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, (PARC) and established under the Himalayan Adaptation Water and Resilience Research (HI-AWARE) project, Director General of PARC's NARC Dr M Ali Tuesday informed that the plant was completely locally manufactured and it could be used for rental as well as community participation to irrigate the land and produce major cash crops like wheat, pulses and other high value crops including fruits vegetables to maximize the farms income.

He said the system had a capacity to generate about 4,000 KW electricity per day and able to run four horse power motor, adding that its water gun could throw water to four feet area and irrigate seven acres of land in an single hour.

He explained that climate change was a global issue and its effects had no boundaries. "We need collective efforts to tackle with its adverse effects. Unfortunately, the least-developed countries, whose contribution to global warming is negligible, are the worst affected by the effects of climate change," he added.

He expressed his joy upon explaining this to the participants that PARC had planned to work across the target stakeholders ranging from rural communities to consumers, sister departments of the governments and civil societies.

It would be ensured that the farmers can adapt to climate change to get the fruits of greater investment in rural development and mitigate climate change effects, he said. He was glad that PARC was closely working with farmers and establishing the training and learning site throughout the country like this one.

That success story was open to all sister departments of the governments, civil societies and development partners to prepare projects for its up scaling and media partners for its dissemination, he said.

The visit was arranged by PARC to provide an exposure of the pilot site as it has been established to developing climate change adaptation capacity and sustainable technologies for farming community in response to climate change in midstream area of Indus basin, HI-AWARE.

The PARC has developed training and learning pilot site at Chakri union council of district Rawalpindi. The main purpose for establishment of this site is to increase awareness in farming communities, demonstrate and train in climate smart interventions to cope with climate challenge affectively which is severely impacting their livelihoods.

This site is acting as demonstration, training and learning site for farmers, practitioners and professionals. The main purpose of the exposure visit of the policy makers, practitioners, donors and development agencies and national media is to provide a holistic image of adaptation practices and technologies in response to climate change and its impact on water and agriculture sector.

As well as to enhance the scientific and applied knowledge for appropriate adaptation measures at institutional level which are required to minimize the impact of climate change in order to enhance the adaptive capacities of vulnerable communities.

It would be interested to notice that how this site is prompting and persuading farmers and practitioners for adopting these technologies, enhancing farm productivity and livelihood. This visit mainly targets to engage with policy makers, donors, development agencies, practitioners and professionals working in water and agricultural sectors for on-site learning how vulnerable farmers are adapting to climate change and improving their livelihood so that same model can be replicated and up-scaled in other part of the country.

The main objective is to make understand and influence these agencies to develop supportive projects, programmes and initiatives for farmer's adoption and up-scaling of climate smart interventions for rural transformation.

On this occasion, the members of the HI-AWARE team briefed the participants about different interventions installed at the pilot site. The exposure visit ended with the vote of thanks by the chief guest, member nature resources division, Dr Munir Ahmad to the participants of the visit.

The Himalayan (HI-AWARE) Consortium conducts research and pilot interventions, capacity building and policy engagement to enhance the climate resilience and adaptive capacity of poor and vulnerable communities living in the mountains, hills and flood plains of the Indus, Upper Ganga, Gandaki and Teesta river basins in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh.