Daily Times

The dialogue and research-based 4th Karachi International Water Conference focused on the Water, Energy, Food Nexus for a Sustainable Future in Pakistan. Hosted by the Hisaar Foundation, the conference brought forth new perspective by gathering scholars, researchers, concerned government bodies and smart agriculture specialists from across the world to speak about water concerns and the ongoing projects that have been undertaken. The largest two-day biannual seminar was a resounding success with global participants and over 1200 attendees.

Pakistan currently holds the precarious position of being one of the most vital stages of the apparent water shortage. The opposition parties have divided themselves into who didn’t do what. The actual sane line to take there is what are we doing now? Here, a few global citizens took the initiative upon themselves to push the goals for a better future through dialogue and research facilities, which will shape the future of Pakistan as an active goal setter and participant in the current geo-structural climate change. Enter the Hisaar Foundation (founded in 2003), a non-profit organisation, who, in collaboration with Panjwani Charitable Foundation, will be building thought processes with the foresight for the betterment of Pakistan with the establishment of the PHWI (Panjwani-Hisaar Water Institute) at NED University of Engineering and Technology (in Pakistan).

A UN report published on Sustainable Development Goals 2030 with the agenda point SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation, helped earmark the goals for the work of effects of climate change and created the rush towards articles on the global perception of sustainability for the future. These key topics of concern have been on everybody’s agenda; also being taken up the prestigious WEF (World Economic Forum) as a focal topic in its global agenda with the relationship of diverse communities to join together for sustainability, resource-sharing and value-added dialogue.

It is here that such forums in the world have also taken this up as a global agenda with the outset of practical implementation. The reports being issued are quite true regarding the water shortage in this region. However, we must understand each complexity of the problem as this is not a step away by Pakistan avoiding the topic rather what will be done so globally over time. One of the most important topics in focus was the usage of water, the importance of its conservation and its storage, in terms of this particular region, which already faces droughts.

Delegations of experts and professors had come from different countries and universities from over the globe. From irrigation systems to technology to resource planning, they shared their ideas via dialogue. The forum in the past, and even now, with its future planning, has been responsible for the building of different documents; how to educate people about processes and systems as well as how can the water depletion affect the whole environment of global climate change; working with the government on providing data and stats for analysis.

The word “sustainability” revolves around and inculcates many things at the same time. The need for an assessment on who we are, as a country; our demographics; where would the water development resources be built, in what quantity, in the face of such challenges. No such dialogue could exist without adequate research. The other thing to take into account was approaching the changing technology and, most of all, the allocation of funds for such national projects. With climate change affecting crop and the melting of the glaciers in Pakistan, these are on-ground realities of the future.

Here, the inevitable drought and water shortage should not be political play. Rather, there is a grave concern that the water shortage will affect every living being on the planet. The foresight of the few concerned global citizens with the idea was “Let’s do something about it then wait for the worst to hit us,” to leave a value-added service to the nation behind as a legacy. It is highly commendable; an act of valour in terms of using private resources, time and management towards the building of Pakistan.

Speakers at the conference defined the use of water in Pakistan and the implications of smart conservation plans for storage. Agriculture was definitive for being where water was identified as the main source being used for food rather than for drinking. As Mr Jippe Hoogeveen, representing the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), illustrated some facts that 338 million hectares are irrigated land. He also raised the point that 93 per cent of water was consumed in agriculture. The water from the cities was re-usable. However, agriculture was the main absorber of water and non-recoverable. Therefore, the primary focus on the water was on the agricultural-based economy of Pakistan keeping in mind these figures. The nexus for all three (water, energy and food) is a result of water being the main component connecting the energy utilized in agriculture and then the resultant food produced. Hisaar Foundation had already started this work in 2003, and we find that interestingly enough now a topic of conversation on many dinner tables as the shortage is here and an apparent crisis. President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, was the chief guest at the opening, a great supporter of the Hisaar Foundation as well as water planning projects, which he has taken upon himself as a personal agenda for the prosperity of Pakistan.

An interesting thing to note was the diversity and mix of the experts and invitees in attendance. To name a few, Mr Ghias Khan (President and CEO of Engro), Dr Roberto Lenton (Univ Of Nebraska), Dr William Young (World Bank), and Illangovan Patchamuthu (Country Director, World Bank).

Dr Barbara Schreiner (Executive Director, Water Integrity Network in Berlin), Dr John Dore (Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Australia), Dr Geoffrey Shaw (Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan), Dr Adil Najam (Boston University) and Mina Dowlatchachi (FAO representative to Pakistan). The esteemed Dr Robina Wahaj (FAO) chaired one of the sessions, a senior officer of the Land and Water Division of FAO. A PhD holder in Irrigation and water engineering from the Netherlands, she also advises FAO representation in Pakistan.

Climate-Smart Agriculture in Pakistan

One of the most interesting things to me were the effects of climate change upon the water conservation on a global scale, how different nations were taking counteractive measures and the implementation of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), which was now taking place in Pakistan. The rising temperatures had noticeably impacted the productivity of the crops, livestock and fisheries. In 2013, using CSA, Pakistan had reworked their methodology in Punjab to increase the sustainability of irrigation methods; upgrading small farmers’ technology as well as the curtailing of greenhouse omissions effect on the environment. Keeping in mind these three pillars, their talks were about a sustainable increase in production to ensure food security in Pakistan. Their focal points on creating policies for the small farmer and their adaptive capacities was imperative or they would be seriously challenged and was key to the survival as our land was mostly agriculture-based and, thus, the livelihood for many. In just re-addressing geographical locations and implementing the Climate Smart Agriculture roll-out, the FAO, in conjunction with the Government of Pakistan, has successfully introduced a System of Rice Intensification (SRI), including introduction and promotion of Flood & Drought Tolerant Rice, Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), Line Sowing and Raised Bed Cultivation of rice.

One of the participants added that Pakistan was a place where the geography of the environment itself had defined us as a nation. The reference, being to the Indus Valley and the Indus River and the environment, created it as the start of an ancient civilisation, and was today, the connection to our identity. Water for the foreseeable future had suddenly become more important than gold and the main topic of concern for the survival of this nation.

Sustainability for the Greater Good

The water conference with its lasting impact came out of the utter need to create impact through educational briefings, the sharing of ideas, and the linkage of those policymakers directly with the systems that exist and the technologies that would be needed shortly. A few factors that emerged out of these discussions with the scholars who acknowledged that with all the funding and the technology and research put together, without the help of the government it would not be possible to implement these strategies. Nothing can occur unless the government can create a parallel from research to implementation.

The other factor that came out of it was the need for countries to unite together as stakeholders in a global crisis for water sharing resource planning; a point that has been discussed as a global agenda by several international forums.

On asking Nadira Panjwani why this initiative in particular for patronage (PHWI) she replied simply- to see the country prosper and rise. Already the recipient of the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (the second-highest civilian award for her services to the country in public service) as a well as being conferred the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, she has been working with Simi Kamal, the founder of Hisaar Foundation, and Vice-Chancellor of NED, Professor Dr Sarosh Lodi on water sustainability planning and research development. The academic program already inaugurated in August 2019, with its five innovative labs being built is a testament to how Pakistanis from all levels of our society are going to address the practicalities for the water crisis on the ground. Something she said that struck me was how we need to think this from a policy-makers’ viewpoint in a hundred years in advance to produce the trickle-down effect to support the generations coming next. As somebody had to do it, so she volunteered her resources her funds and combined that with the specialists to leave behind learning blocks of education and information for a sustainable future and wellbeing of Pakistan.

The writer is known for covering articles on topics, which have a socio-cultural impact