Overview
This small research activity aimed to sustain and enhance basin scale agricultural production and food security by better water management in the Indus basin.
The project focused on knowledge management, capacity building, and Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion, utilising an agile, user-centred design approach, requiring regular stakeholder interaction, flexibility, and potential resets.
The Water Apportionment Accord (WAA) Tool, developed using advanced technologies, has transformed complex water allocation rules and manual decision-making processes into scientifically defendable principles and irrigation demand patterns. It is now embedded in the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) and used by provincial irrigation agencies to inform pre-season water allocation planning and national policy decisions. The tool also provides scientific information and assistance in understanding the impact of different pre-season water allocation forecasts and sharing methods on pre-season provincial water shares.
The project successfully achieved its objectives to consolidate the use of the WAA Tool in the seasonal planning process and, in so doing, increase the pool of people with deep knowledge of the analyses and rationales informing the current process.
The Tool establishes a common language for water allocation planning, clarifying assumptions and requiring consensus among stakeholders on language and term meaning.
The Pakistani team's collaboration and knowledge base has been strengthened through a small number of targeted activities, and the Pakistan water agencies are eager to enhance the pre-season planning WAA Tool and incorporate mid-season planning.
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