Success Story: From Desolate Land to Green Acres

The project, funded by USAID, aimed to enhance irrigation infrastructure and agricultural productivity. Muhammad Sharif, a local farmer, owned 350 acres of land under the Gomal Zam project. Prior to the project, Sharif's land was cultivated by 10 families of tenants on a sharecropping basis, who struggled to survive on uncertain harvests. The construction of the Gomal Zam canal system brought significant changes to the area. Irrigation commenced about two years ago, mainly on parcels of land along the distribution canals. Sharif reported that the average yield of wheat increased from 300 kg per acre to 600 kg per acre, using local seeds and without chemical fertilizers. The value of land also increased five-fold, from PKR 80,000 ($580) per acre to PKR 400,000 ($2900) per acre. Muhammad Sharif's income increased four-fold after the project, with the majority of the income coming from selling agricultural produce, especially wheat, in local markets. Local farmers have started investing in land levelling to improve yields in the following years. The availability of water and increased vegetation have also improved pasture yields, leading to an increase in milk production from the predominant Damanai breed of goats in the area. Faizullah, Chairman of the Water Users Association of village Gharah Mohabbat, owns around 500 acres of land irrigated from the Gomal Zam project. Prior to the project, Faizullah's land was cultivated by 16 tenant families on a sharecropping basis, using a flood-based irrigation system. The average annual farm income was about half a million Rupees ($3600) or PKR 1,000 per acre. However, the crop yield was uncertain and dependent on subsequent rainfalls. After the Gomal Zam project started, Faizullah increased his investment in the farm and made efforts to level the land. He also experimented with laser land levelling to increase yields. Faizullah reported that his crop yield showed a significant increase after receiving irrigation water through the Gomal Zam project. The wheat yield increased from 400 kg to about 1,000 kg per acre, while the gram yield increased from 300 kg to 600 kg per acre. Consequently, Faizullah's farm income increased to PKR 1.2 million ($8,700) last year. Faizullah also planted orchards of lemon, papaya, and mango on an experimental basis. The Gomal Zam canal system is designed on deficit irrigation, which has incentivized farmers to shift to high-value, low-water use horticulture production. In the future, labour requirements will increase due to the advent of high-value farming, which requires specialized horticultural activities. Farmers have expressed their interest in making productive use of water through an efficient and transparent water distribution system.