Balancing the crop and water equation

THE water requirements of Pakistan’s agriculture sector, which consumes nearly 90 per cent of the nation’s water, continue to rise due to multiple factors. The sector is striving to meet the food demand of a growing population by increasing crop yields, improving cropping intensity, and expanding cultivated land by reclaiming barren areas like Cholistan. All of these rely, in varying degrees, on water. Climate change — manifested through rising temperatures and recurring heatwaves — is another factor. The year 2024 was the hottest on record, while the 2010s remained the warmest decade in history. Such rising temperatures have not only increased the water requirements of almost all crops but also exacerbated water losses in irrigation channels.