Collaborative water research maximises precious resource

Improving livelihoods through water management was at the heart of a collaboration between Charles Sturt, the Australian government, and local stakeholders in the Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan.

A $2 million project in Pakistan funded by the Australian government has brought together Charles Sturt University academics with local farmers, farming communities, and government agencies to prevent the country from reaching absolute water scarcity, when there is an insufficient supply to meet demand, predicted to happen by 2025.

Agriculture consumes 95 per cent of Pakistan’s water resources and is critical to the economy and livelihoods of its people. This six-year-long research project, culminating in a report published in 2021, focused on lessening the strain on > groundwater resources due to inefficient irrigation practices and a lack of regulation.

Researchers from Charles Sturt were commissioned by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in collaboration with key partners in the Sindh and Punjab provinces. The project has influenced local government agencies to introduce improved groundwater practices and build capacity in farming communities through planning, monitoring, management strategies, and policies.