IWREM MUET, SIDA and ACIAR sign MoU on Water Governance in South Asia

Institute of Water Resources Engineering & Management (IWREM) and Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australian Center for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR) Pakistan for a project, “Efficient Participatory Irrigation Institutions to Support Productive and Sustainable Agriculture in South Asia”, the signing ceremony held on Monday, at U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W) Mehran University of Engineering & Technology (MUET) Jamshoro. Dr. Munwar Raza Kazmi, Country Manager ACIAR, Dr. Bakhshal Khan Lashari, Director IWREM and Mr. Nazeer Ahmed Essani General Manager SIDA signed the MoU. On the occasion, Dr. Kazmi said that this is three-year project and is commissioned by University of South Australia, which will be implemented in two countries; Pakistan and India.

He said the project focuses on irrigation management selected states of East India that are Bihar and Assam and Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. He said that the multidimensional comparative study of water related issues of the both countries will be carried out through this project and there are other water related institutes and departments, which are implementation partners of this project. Dr. Kazmi further elaborated the aims and objective of the project, which aims at to improve the analytical skills and understanding of policy makers and irrigation officials, specifically as they relate to Participatory Irrigation Management. While witnessing the MoU ceremony, Prof. Dr. Ghous Bux Khaskhelli. Dean Faculty of Architecture and Civil Enginering MUET  said that water scarcity has emerged as a global phenomenon and to be treated globally. He said that Pakistan and India shared the similar problems of water governance, crop pattern, ecosystem, and environmental conditions, whereas this MoU will help to improve the water governance issues of both countries.

Dr. Khaskhelli further assured full support on the part of MUET administration to implement of the project. In the ceremony, Dr. Bakhshal Khan Lashari, Director IWREM said that IWREM under the auspices of USAID sponsored USPCAS-W at MUET, is a state-of- the-art center, which is endeavoring to solve the contemporary water problems of the country by developing human capital. He said that the water center is which is equipped with modern water laboratories to carry on applied research on water sector in Pakistan. He further said that MoU with ACIAR will pave the way for IWREM to work for water governance in South Asia region.

Mr. Nazeer Ahmed Essani, General Manager (Transition) SIDA said that SIDA is very much committed to solve the water governance issues of the province whereas the project will be implemented efficiently. He further said that this project will help for better understanding of water issues of India and Pakistan through advanced research based studies and also will help to improve the water governance in both of the countries at micro level. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Chaudhry, Chief of Party USPCAS-W, University of Utah, Dr. Kamran Ansari, Dr. Rafique Chandio, Dr. Rasool Bux Mahar, Dr. M. Munir Babar, Engr. Parvaiz Ahmed Banbhan, Mr. Masroor Ahmed Shahwani, Mr. Shahid Panhwar and others witnessed the MoU signing ceremony.