STAFF REPORT LHR: The International Development Association (IDA) will provide $250 million for the Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Productivity Improvement Programme Project Phase-I, while local beneficiaries would bear $173.5 million.
According to an update project report of World Bank, the projects main objectives are to improve water productivity. Improved water productivity will translate into greater agricultural output per unit of water used, and will be achieved through improved physical delivery efficiency, irrigation practices, crop diversification and effective application of inputs.
These objectives would contribute to increased agricultural production, employment and incomes, higher living standards and positive environmental outcomes, an official of the Punjab government remared.
Agriculture is the single most important source of employment and exports and irrigation represents more than 95 per cent of the total consumptive use of water.
Irrigation management is being decentralised at the canal command level and the farmers participation is being enhanced through minor canal level farmers organisation (FOs).
In particular, Sindh and Punjab provinces have made considerable progress and hundreds of FOs have been developed in many canal commands. The institutional reform programme is time intensive, involving complexities with their own issues that would take time to resolve, consolidate and show visible outcome.

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