Drought-resilient mechanism in Thar introduced

More than 2,500 families encouraged to grow their own food

HYDERABAD: Mirpurkhas Division Commissioner Abdul Waheed Shaikh claimed on Tuesday to have taken the initiative to introduce a drought-resilient mechanism among communities in Thar district to reduce the effects of droughts.

“Presently, we have motivated 2,500 families to maintain kitchen gardens in their wider courtyards and backyards to produce their own safe food through government support,” he said, speaking at a forum of farmers, irrigation and agriculture department officials, researchers, academics and social development representatives on the occasion of World Water Day 2019 (March 22) celebrated on Tuesday in Mirpurkhas.

The commissioner gave examples of countries that have adopted water recycling and reuse initiatives at the local level and are benefiting from them.

“We have to improve water irrigation methods and adopt drought resilient mechanisms in desert areas,” said Shaikh, who is an agriculture engineer. “Thar needs new mechanisms for agriculture, kitchen gardening and rain water conservation,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2019.