ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved an additional $48 million for the Balochistan Water Resources Development Project in southwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, the bank confirmed, saying it would enhance irrigation efficiency and promote sustainable water use in the province.
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area but also its driest and faces a severe water crisis due to minimal rainfall and the absence of any major rivers there. It is also Pakistan’s most backward province by almost all social and economic indicators, reeling from a separatist insurgency for the past few decades.
According to the ADB, the project will improve land and water resources, agricultural production and farm income of 10,000 rural households across six districts of Balochistan. These districts are located in the southwestern Zhob, Kacchi plain, Dasht and Hingol river basins.
“This funding will support the completion of critical project components, including the Churi Infiltration Gallery subproject, development of the Siri Toi Dam command area and watershed management activities, which were previously delayed due to budgetary constraints,” the ADB said in a report.
The report said that an “innovative” piped water distribution network will be introduced in the Siri Toi area, adding that the system will ensure higher efficiency, reduced conveyance losses, and improved service delivery compared to traditional open-channel water systems.
“This project supports livelihoods and creates improved economic opportunities, particularly for women engaged in agriculture,” Emma Fan, ADB’s country director for Pakistan, was quoted as saying by the bank.
The ADB said once completed, the Siri Toi dam in the Zhob river basin will provide a storage capacity of 36 million cubic meters of water, significantly improving reliable water availability.
“This will ensure efficient and equitable water delivery for domestic and agricultural use across 16,592 hectares of command area, including 1,839 hectares under khushkaba (rainwater harvesting) farming systems,” it added.
It said the project also incorporates watershed management measures such as afforestation, soil conservation and construction of check dams to reduce land degradation and improve flood management within the dam’s catchment area.
The project is co-financed by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific and the High-Level Technology Fund.
According to the ADB, agriculture contributes nearly two-thirds of Balochistan’s economic output and employs 60 percent of its 13 million residents. The bank says it aims to mitigate losses caused by frequent droughts, water management capacity issues and climate vulnerabilities that have put livelihoods in Balochistan at significant risk.
