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{"references": ["1. Afzal, M. 1999. Water for agriculture. Paper for water Vision Pakistan.", "2. Ahmad, S. and Rashida, M. 2001. Indus basin irrigation system water budget and associated problems. J. Engineering and Applied Sciences. 20 (1):69-75.", "3. Bhutta, M.N. 1999. Vision on water for food and agriculture: Pakistan's perspective. Regional South Asia Meeting on Water for Food and Agriculture Development. New Delhi.", "4. Chebbi, E.H. 2010. Agriculture and economic growth in Tunisia: (Vol. 2 no. 1), pp-63-78. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.", "5. Duranton, G. 1998 Agricultural Productivity, Trade, and Industrialization. Oxford Economic Papers 50, 220\u2013236.", "6. Ejaz, N., Hashmi, H. N. & Ghumman, A. R., (2011). Water Quality Assessment of Effluent Receiving Streams in Pakistan: A Case Study of Ravi River, Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering & Technology, Vol. 30, No. 3 July 2011", "7. EPD, Environment Protection Department. (2008). Environmental Monitoring of Ravi River, Study carried out under Annual Development Scheme, Monitoring of Surface Water Bodies in Punjab. November 2008. EPA Laboratories, Environmental Protection Department, Government of the Punjab, National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.", "8. Faiza. M., & Tabsum J. (2009). Temporal Population Growth of Lahore, Journal of Scientific Research, Vol. XXXIX No. I, June 2009 ISSN 0555-7674.", "9. Hassan G. Z., Bhutta M N. 1996. A Water Balance Model to Estimate Groundwater Recharge in Rechna Doab Pakistan. Irrigation and Drainage System 10:297-317, Kluwer Academic Publisher, Printed in Netherlands.", "10. Hassan G.Z., Shabir G., Hassan F. R., Akhtar S. 2013. Impact of Pollution in Ravi River on Groundwater underlying the Lahore City. Paper 749, 72nd Annual Session of Pakistan Engineering Congress, Lahore, Pakistan.", "11. Hassan G.Z., Hassan F. R., Akhtar S. 2014. Environment Threats to Groundwater in Lahore Area. World Environment Day, Pakistan Engineering Congress, Lahore Pakistan.", "12. Hassan G.Z., Hassan F. R., Akhtar S. 2016. Environmental Issues and concerns of Groundwater in Lahore. Proceedings of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences :B: Life and Environmental Science 53(3) 163-178 (2016), ISSN 2518-4261 (print), ISSN 2518-427X (Online)", "13. Hussain. F., Sultan. A., (2013). Existing Situation of Sewerage in Lahore City and its Impact on Ravi River, The Urban Gazette, Lahore, Pakistan.", "14. Irrigation Research Institute (IRI). 2009. Research Studies on Artificial Recharges of Aquifer in Punjab. Government of the Punjab, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute. Research Report No IRR-Phy/552.", "15. IRI. 2012. Groundwater Investigation for Sustainable Water Supply to FDA City Housing Scheme, Faisalabad. Government of the Punjab, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Research Report No IRR-Phy/577.", "16. IRI. 2013. Research Studies on Artificial Recharges of Aquifer in Punjab. Government of the Punjab, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Research Report No IRR-Phy/579.", "17. IRI. 2015. Groundwater Behavior in Rechna Doab, Punjab, Pakistan. Groundwater Management Cell, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Research Report No IRR-GWMC/101.", "18. IRI. 2016. Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable use of Groundwater in Chaj Doab, Punjab, Pakistan. Groundwater Management Cell, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Research Report No IRR-GWMC/102.", "19. Jorgenson, D. 1967 Surplus Agricultural Labor and Development of a Dual Economy. Oxford Economic Papers 19, 288\u2013312.", "20. Kaldor, N. 1978 Further Essays on Economic Theory. In M. Baskin (ed.) Economics and Human Welfare\u2014Essay in Honor of Tibor Scitovsky. New York: Academic Press.", "21. Kinzelbach W, Bauer P, Siegfried T, Brunner P (2003) Sustainable groundwater management\u2014 problems and scientific tools, vol 26, no 4. Institute for Hydromechanics and Water Resources Management, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland, pp 279\u2013283", "22. Mahmood. K., Daud. R. A., Tariq.S. Kanwal. S., Ali. R., Ali. H. A and Tahseen. A (2013). Groundwater Levels Susceptibility to Degradation in Lahore Metropolitan. Sci.Int (Lahore),25(1),123-126,2013. ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8", "23. World Bank. 1997. Staff Appraisal Report. Pakistan National Drainage Program. Rural Development Sector Management Unit, South Asia Region.", "24. WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Program) 2012. The United Nations World Water Development Report 4: Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk. Paris, UNESCO.http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/wwap/wwdr/ wwdr4-2012/"]} Irrigated agriculture plays a vital role in the economy of Pakistan by contributing about 90% of food production, 22% of GDP, employing about 45% of the overall labor force, and generating over 60% of foreign exchange. The role of water resources has become significant which underpins the food security in the country. Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) is the lifeline for the economy of Pakistan and is the major pillar of food security. IBIS is one of the largest irrigation networks in the world and is confronted with multidimensional challenges out of which climate changes have attained paramount importance. The irrigation system was designed on a 67% irrigation system during the 19th century while the current cropping intensity has crossed the limits of 150-160% or even more. Continuous increase in population and consequently more food demands have shifted the pressure on the aquifer underlying the Indus Basin. India, USA & China, and Pakistan has become the 4th largest user of groundwater where about 40% of irrigated food production is dependent on groundwater. In Punjab province, about 1.2 million tubewells are extracting about 40-45 MAF of groundwater annually. Consequently, groundwater management has confronted a multitude of tiny users in Pakistan. Climatic changes have made the availability and reliability of surface water a question mark. Resultantly pressure on groundwater is increasing and water levels are dropping abruptly taking this resource beyond the bounds of rural poor farmers. The intrusion of saline water into the fresh aquifer, secondary salinity, and seawater intrusion are the major threats to groundwater quality. About 3000 piezometers have been installed to monitor groundwater behavior (levels and quality) in the Punjab province. A research study carried out in Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) has indicated that by falling of water table from 40 to 70 ft. the cost of pumping per acre-feet of groundwater has increased by 125%. Similarly, it has been observed that in many urban areas groundwater is depleting at an annual alarming rate of 2.54 ft., (Lahore city) and the water table in sweet water zones in rural areas (Vehari District) has gone beyond 70-90 ft. Human activities like increasing cropping intensities, unplanned over pumpage, lack of awareness/capacity, use of chemicals in agriculture/food production, industrialization, urbanization, solid waste landfills, domestic effluents, lack of legal and regulatory framework, etc. are the major threats to sustainable use of groundwater for food security. Climatic changes are posing severe adverse impacts on the sustainable use of groundwater which is putting food security under threat. Global warming, rising sea levels, glacier melting, unprecedented rainfall, prolonged droughts, and floods are the consequences of changing climate which are affecting directly or indirectly the groundwater resources in the aquifer underlying the Indus Basin.

{"references": ["1. Afzal, M. 1999. Water for agriculture. Paper for water Vision Pakistan.", "2. Ahmad, S. and Rashida, M. 2001. Indus basin irrigation system water budget and associated problems. J. Engineering and Applied Sciences. 20 (1):69-75.", "3. Bhutta, M.N. 1999. Vision on water for food and agriculture: Pakistan's perspective. Regional South Asia Meeting on Water for Food and Agriculture Development. New Delhi.", "4. Chebbi, E.H. 2010. Agriculture and economic growth in Tunisia: (Vol. 2 no. 1), pp-63-78. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.", "5. Duranton, G. 1998 Agricultural Productivity, Trade, and Industrialization. Oxford Economic Papers 50, 220\u2013236.", "6. Ejaz, N., Hashmi, H. N. & Ghumman, A. R., (2011). Water Quality Assessment of Effluent Receiving Streams in Pakistan: A Case Study of Ravi River, Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering & Technology, Vol. 30, No. 3 July 2011", "7. EPD, Environment Protection Department. (2008). Environmental Monitoring of Ravi River, Study carried out under Annual Development Scheme, Monitoring of Surface Water Bodies in Punjab. November 2008. EPA Laboratories, Environmental Protection Department, Government of the Punjab, National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.", "8. Faiza. M., & Tabsum J. (2009). Temporal Population Growth of Lahore, Journal of Scientific Research, Vol. XXXIX No. I, June 2009 ISSN 0555-7674.", "9. Hassan G. Z., Bhutta M N. 1996. A Water Balance Model to Estimate Groundwater Recharge in Rechna Doab Pakistan. Irrigation and Drainage System 10:297-317, Kluwer Academic Publisher, Printed in Netherlands.", "10. Hassan G.Z., Shabir G., Hassan F. R., Akhtar S. 2013. Impact of Pollution in Ravi River on Groundwater underlying the Lahore City. Paper 749, 72nd Annual Session of Pakistan Engineering Congress, Lahore, Pakistan.", "11. Hassan G.Z., Hassan F. R., Akhtar S. 2014. Environment Threats to Groundwater in Lahore Area. World Environment Day, Pakistan Engineering Congress, Lahore Pakistan.", "12. Hassan G.Z., Hassan F. R., Akhtar S. 2016. Environmental Issues and concerns of Groundwater in Lahore. Proceedings of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences :B: Life and Environmental Science 53(3) 163-178 (2016), ISSN 2518-4261 (print), ISSN 2518-427X (Online)", "13. Hussain. F., Sultan. A., (2013). Existing Situation of Sewerage in Lahore City and its Impact on Ravi River, The Urban Gazette, Lahore, Pakistan.", "14. Irrigation Research Institute (IRI). 2009. Research Studies on Artificial Recharges of Aquifer in Punjab. Government of the Punjab, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute. Research Report No IRR-Phy/552.", "15. IRI. 2012. Groundwater Investigation for Sustainable Water Supply to FDA City Housing Scheme, Faisalabad. Government of the Punjab, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Research Report No IRR-Phy/577.", "16. IRI. 2013. Research Studies on Artificial Recharges of Aquifer in Punjab. Government of the Punjab, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Research Report No IRR-Phy/579.", "17. IRI. 2015. Groundwater Behavior in Rechna Doab, Punjab, Pakistan. Groundwater Management Cell, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Research Report No IRR-GWMC/101.", "18. IRI. 2016. Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable use of Groundwater in Chaj Doab, Punjab, Pakistan. Groundwater Management Cell, Irrigation Department, Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Research Report No IRR-GWMC/102.", "19. Jorgenson, D. 1967 Surplus Agricultural Labor and Development of a Dual Economy. Oxford Economic Papers 19, 288\u2013312.", "20. Kaldor, N. 1978 Further Essays on Economic Theory. In M. Baskin (ed.) Economics and Human Welfare\u2014Essay in Honor of Tibor Scitovsky. New York: Academic Press.", "21. Kinzelbach W, Bauer P, Siegfried T, Brunner P (2003) Sustainable groundwater management\u2014 problems and scientific tools, vol 26, no 4. Institute for Hydromechanics and Water Resources Management, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland, pp 279\u2013283", "22. Mahmood. K., Daud. R. A., Tariq.S. Kanwal. S., Ali. R., Ali. H. A and Tahseen. A (2013). Groundwater Levels Susceptibility to Degradation in Lahore Metropolitan. Sci.Int (Lahore),25(1),123-126,2013. ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8", "23. World Bank. 1997. Staff Appraisal Report. Pakistan National Drainage Program. Rural Development Sector Management Unit, South Asia Region.", "24. WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Program) 2012. The United Nations World Water Development Report 4: Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk. Paris, UNESCO.http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/wwap/wwdr/ wwdr4-2012/"]} Irrigated agriculture plays a vital role in the economy of Pakistan by contributing about 90% of food production, 22% of GDP, employing about 45% of the overall labor force, and generating over 60% of foreign exchange. The role of water resources has become significant which underpins the food security in the country. Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) is the lifeline for the economy of Pakistan and is the major pillar of food security. IBIS is one of the largest irrigation networks in the world and is confronted with multidimensional challenges out of which climate changes have attained paramount importance. The irrigation system was designed on a 67% irrigation system during the 19th century while the current cropping intensity has crossed the limits of 150-160% or even more. Continuous increase in population and consequently more food demands have shifted the pressure on the aquifer underlying the Indus Basin. India, USA & China, and Pakistan has become the 4th largest user of groundwater where about 40% of irrigated food production is dependent on groundwater. In Punjab province, about 1.2 million tubewells are extracting about 40-45 MAF of groundwater annually. Consequently, groundwater management has confronted a multitude of tiny users in Pakistan. Climatic changes have made the availability and reliability of surface water a question mark. Resultantly pressure on groundwater is increasing and water levels are dropping abruptly taking this resource beyond the bounds of rural poor farmers. The intrusion of saline water into the fresh aquifer, secondary salinity, and seawater intrusion are the major threats to groundwater quality. About 3000 piezometers have been installed to monitor groundwater behavior (levels and quality) in the Punjab province. A research study carried out in Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) has indicated that by falling of water table from 40 to 70 ft. the cost of pumping per acre-feet of groundwater has increased by 125%. Similarly, it has been observed that in many urban areas groundwater is depleting at an annual alarming rate of 2.54 ft., (Lahore city) and the water table in sweet water zones in rural areas (Vehari District) has gone beyond 70-90 ft. Human activities like increasing cropping intensities, unplanned over pumpage, lack of awareness/capacity, use of chemicals in agriculture/food production, industrialization, urbanization, solid waste landfills, domestic effluents, lack of legal and regulatory framework, etc. are the major threats to sustainable use of groundwater for food security. Climatic changes are posing severe adverse impacts on the sustainable use of groundwater which is putting food security under threat. Global warming, rising sea levels, glacier melting, unprecedented rainfall, prolonged droughts, and floods are the consequences of changing climate which are affecting directly or indirectly the groundwater resources in the aquifer underlying the Indus Basin.

The increasing demand for sustainable food and non-food biomass production is challenging farmers all over the world, particularly in those areas where are short in water supply. Besides, the constant spreading of desertification in the Mediterranean region makes cropping even more difficult. In fact, the main problem related to desertification is the reduction of rainy events in a given region, although the annual rainfall remains constant. Hence, surface water reservoirs are accessible only for a limited period of the year forcing farmers to rely on belowground water, which is expensive and, sometimes, impossible to carry out. In the framework of MediOpuntia Project, a possible strategy to harvest rain water in arid and semiarid regions of the world, is represented by the installation of subsurface water retention Technology (SWRT) made of impermeable U-shaped barriers laid 80-100 cm belowground with aim to prevent water loss due to percolation. In addition, also soil nutrients loss is prevented as they will be collected by the membranes and kept available to roots after major rainy events. So far, the market still lacks the availability of machineries capable to lay impermeable membranes belowground in a single pass, and the present Project aims to fill this gap. The present study aims to develop and test a machinery capable to lay an impermeable membrane at 80-100 cm belowground to catch rainwater in arid and semi-arid areas. MedioPuntia Project

The increasing demand for sustainable food and non-food biomass production is challenging farmers all over the world, particularly in those areas where are short in water supply. Besides, the constant spreading of desertification in the Mediterranean region makes cropping even more difficult. In fact, the main problem related to desertification is the reduction of rainy events in a given region, although the annual rainfall remains constant. Hence, surface water reservoirs are accessible only for a limited period of the year forcing farmers to rely on belowground water, which is expensive and, sometimes, impossible to carry out. In the framework of MediOpuntia Project, a possible strategy to harvest rain water in arid and semiarid regions of the world, is represented by the installation of subsurface water retention Technology (SWRT) made of impermeable U-shaped barriers laid 80-100 cm belowground with aim to prevent water loss due to percolation. In addition, also soil nutrients loss is prevented as they will be collected by the membranes and kept available to roots after major rainy events. So far, the market still lacks the availability of machineries capable to lay impermeable membranes belowground in a single pass, and the present Project aims to fill this gap. The present study aims to develop and test a machinery capable to lay an impermeable membrane at 80-100 cm belowground to catch rainwater in arid and semi-arid areas. MedioPuntia Project

Generation of methane from animal dung through AD (Anaerobic Digestion) is the most feasible way to get energy from it. Pakistan has about 70 million heads of cattle and buffalos, and about 90 million heads of sheep and goats. The dung from these animals can overcome the energy crisis and can fulfill the future energy demands of Pakistan. In present study, buffalo dung is used as the substrate for anaerobic digestion process, whereas the production of methane was analyzed as the function of buffalo dung to water ratio. Six batch reactors with different buffalo dung to water ratios were incubated in the AMPTS (Automatic Methane Potential Test Setup) for 51 days. The highest methane production was observed from the buffalo dung to water ratio of 2.0 i.e. 226.4 NmL/gVS loss , followed by 198.6 NmL/ gVS loss from the buffalo dung to the water ratio of 1.0. The suitable hydraulic retention time of the anaerobic digester treating buffalo dung was observed as 20 days

Generation of methane from animal dung through AD (Anaerobic Digestion) is the most feasible way to get energy from it. Pakistan has about 70 million heads of cattle and buffalos, and about 90 million heads of sheep and goats. The dung from these animals can overcome the energy crisis and can fulfill the future energy demands of Pakistan. In present study, buffalo dung is used as the substrate for anaerobic digestion process, whereas the production of methane was analyzed as the function of buffalo dung to water ratio. Six batch reactors with different buffalo dung to water ratios were incubated in the AMPTS (Automatic Methane Potential Test Setup) for 51 days. The highest methane production was observed from the buffalo dung to water ratio of 2.0 i.e. 226.4 NmL/gVS loss , followed by 198.6 NmL/ gVS loss from the buffalo dung to the water ratio of 1.0. The suitable hydraulic retention time of the anaerobic digester treating buffalo dung was observed as 20 days

Ever increasing population and urbanization are the major threat to food security. Therefore, it is inevitable to use the scarce resources in an efficient manner. Further the application of different fertilizers prior considering the actual prevailing fertility status of soil and the nutrients requirements of upcoming crops may result permanent soil health issues. In order to meet the food needs of the nation we shall have to enhance the yield per unit area. Hence, a survey was conducted for the evaluation of the fertility status of Dera Ghazi Khan for the execution of recommendations regarding balanced use of fertilizers. Previous five years soil analysis data of 45 villages of Dera Ghazi Khan exhibited the average pH of 8.12, Electrical conductivity of 4.23 dSm-1, about 99.3% soils were low in organic matter (<0.86%), and 07% soil have medium range of Organic matter (0.867 to 1.29), 81.5, 15.5% and 3% soils were found in poor, medium and adequate quantity with respect to available phosphorus. About 36.9%, 28.1% and 35% soils were found in poor, medium and adequate range of available potassium. The results indicated that the majority of the soil of Dera Ghazi Khan District was found to be normal and is good for the growth of different crops.

Ever increasing population and urbanization are the major threat to food security. Therefore, it is inevitable to use the scarce resources in an efficient manner. Further the application of different fertilizers prior considering the actual prevailing fertility status of soil and the nutrients requirements of upcoming crops may result permanent soil health issues. In order to meet the food needs of the nation we shall have to enhance the yield per unit area. Hence, a survey was conducted for the evaluation of the fertility status of Dera Ghazi Khan for the execution of recommendations regarding balanced use of fertilizers. Previous five years soil analysis data of 45 villages of Dera Ghazi Khan exhibited the average pH of 8.12, Electrical conductivity of 4.23 dSm-1, about 99.3% soils were low in organic matter (<0.86%), and 07% soil have medium range of Organic matter (0.867 to 1.29), 81.5, 15.5% and 3% soils were found in poor, medium and adequate quantity with respect to available phosphorus. About 36.9%, 28.1% and 35% soils were found in poor, medium and adequate range of available potassium. The results indicated that the majority of the soil of Dera Ghazi Khan District was found to be normal and is good for the growth of different crops.