Water scarcity threatens farmers

Rapid depletion of groundwater in Khanewal district is posing a serious threat to agriculture, forcing farmers to invest in deeper boreholes, high-powered pumps and costlier irrigation systems as the region grapples with an escalating water crisis.

In Peerowal and surrounding farming areas, groundwater that was once available a few feet below the surface has receded significantly. Farmers now have to drill much deeper to access water, while soaring electricity, diesel and agricultural machinery costs have made cultivation increasingly expensive.

Local farmer Malik Imtiaz said the falling water table has become a major challenge for growers across South Punjab. He said farmers are being forced to install new boreholes and more powerful motors, substantially increasing production costs.

Agriculture experts attribute the crisis to declining rainfall, climate change, excessive extraction of groundwater through tube wells, the cultivation of water-intensive crops and the continued use of traditional flood irrigation methods.

Deputy Director Agriculture Dr Khalid Mehmood said water scarcity is already affecting both crop yields and farmers' incomes. He stressed the need to adopt water-efficient technologies such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, promote less water-intensive crops and expand rainwater harvesting to recharge groundwater reserves.

Experts warned that if immediate action is not taken, groundwater depletion could trigger severe consequences, including shortages of drinking water, declining agricultural production, drying tube wells and land subsidence.

Another local farmer, Asghar Ali, said shortages of canal water and the falling groundwater table have made timely irrigation of wheat, cotton, rice, maize and vegetable crops increasingly difficult. He added that deeper tube wells have raised farming costs while reduced water availability is also affecting soil fertility, crop quality and farm incomes.

Agriculture officials urged farmers to conserve water, adopt modern irrigation techniques, harvest rainwater, promote afforestation and ensure strict regulation of groundwater extraction to safeguard the future of agriculture in the region.