“More Crop per Drop”, or How This Country Saves 60% of Water in Farming

In Pakistan where rainfalls are inconsistent, a government initiative supports a drip irrigation system that delivers small amounts of water only where needed.

Thanks to the system, 60% less water is used, and the need for fertiliser is cut in half. “Drip irrigation has come as a divine help to me in this arid area,” says Pakistani farmer Obaid ur Rehman who has turned to water-saving drip irrigation and sprinklers since seasonal rains are no longer a reliable source of water.

The Punjab Irrigated-Agriculture Productivity Improvement Project run in partnership with the World Bank is a nine-year government effort to cut water waste. Since its launch in 2012, the project has helped 7,000 small-scale farmers and aims to have new irrigation systems installed on 120,000 acres of farmland by next year. Pakistan’s agriculture industry is roughly worth $50 billion and could be worth seven times that much if farmers switch to water-saving techniques and better-earning crops.