An assessment of warabandi (irrigation rotation) in Pakistan: a preliminary analysis

Abstract

The results of the study confirm the widely held belief that the system of warabandi in the Indus Basin is not flexible enough to use the vital water resource in an efficient manner. The institutional rigidity of the system causes large conveyance losses and hampers the consumptive needs of the crops. Farmers tend to under-irrigate the fields which adversely affects the yields of crops. There is ample evidence of surface water trading and water markets for underground water. The system of warabandi needs to be modified to allow water trading and development of water markets for surface water. The farmers should be assigned proprietary rights to irrigation so that they can use this precious resource where it has high marginal productivity. The use of this resource be demand- led than supply-driven. Based on the consumptive needs of crops and stress function, the duration of the warabandi may also be changed from present 7 days rotation to 15 days rotation. Accordingly allocation of water to each farmer during his turn should be increased. In this way net irrigated area can be increased and crops will get water according to the consumptive needs. This will also reduce the water losses that occur during weekly rotations. -from Authors