Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)
Stakeholders claiming that flooded soils present significant obstacles in rehabilitation of the agricultural lands have proposed that the provincial agriculture departments must introduce improved crop varieties and changing agricultural practices which can help realize potential production gains.
‘Some crop varieties are better suited for flood-based farming systems, such as very fast growing floating rice varieties, which are grown in areas as varied as Mali and Myanmar. Grasses can also be grown as flood pastures to meet livestock feed. The productivity of flood-based farming systems can also be boosted by fisheries, for example, fishponds and aquaculture which can supply local communities with protein, while requiring fewer inputs than other agricultural practices,’ said Dr. Adnan Arshad, an environmentalist and Director Climate Smart Agriculture programme at Potohar Organization for Development of Agriculture (PODA-Pakistan) and Aamer Hayat Bhandara Co-founder Agriculture Republic while talking to News Update Time.
They said floods also trigger the runoff of agricultural topsoil and flooded soil syndrome; the loss of useful fungi that mobilize plant nutrients from the soil. Erosion can result in the loss of essential plant-available nutrients and organic materials. In addition, the deposition of flood sediments may raise the soil’s NPK and Zn levels.
Flooding can also limit the amount of available phosphorus, hence diminishing the populations of microbes important for enhancing phosphorus availability.
They were of the view therefore, soil health, including soil texture, structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient availability should be recovered after flooding for enhanced agricultural productivity. The farming community must therefore prepare for the gradual restoration of their agricultural soils. Multiple recovery procedures are employed to manage the soil following flooding.
Dr. Adnan Arshad said there is a need to minimize limitations to crop production and manage deposition in fields, farmers must evaluate if the material and objects may be tilled into the ground or whether they must be physically removed. Due to the size of the debris and the travel distance, physical removal is expensive. Additionally, certain laws forbid the addition of sediments to the river.
He said promoting microbial and fungi activity in the soil is also essential. Symbiotic fungi called arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) develop inside and on the roots of plants. Fungi penetrate roots without causing any harm to the plant. As a result, the plant gives the fungi nourishment in the form of carbohydrates, whereas the fungi give plant nutrients, particularly phosphorus, Dr. Adnan Arshad added.
There’s nothing left to pick from cotton, no land preparation for wheat sowing as water is discharging to Indus slowly followed by zero in-situ drain. His different proposals are being reproduced as under:
Distribution of water: Dividing the floodwater into smaller portions, and avoiding steep slopes where water can pick up speed, can help safely steer water. Other relevant flow diversion structures can be put place, including drop structures (to transition between levels), flood bed stabilizers (to prevent uncontrolled runoff) and water-spreading weirs (to reduce erosion).
In-situ field management: Being able to manage the rise and drainage of floodwater within a field is also essential to be able to use the water productively. Several mechanisms can help in this matter: Dikes and soil bunds can help protect fields from unexpected floods and they can also allow farmers to drain or retain water as needed; drainage ditches can be used to channel away excess floodwaters; and reuse agreements can enable farmers to take turns using water from the same source.
Water loving crop varieties: Agriculture department must introduce improved crop varieties and changing agricultural practices can also help realize potential production gains. Some crop varieties are better suited for flood-based farming systems, such as for example very fast growing floating rice varieties, which are grown in areas as varied as Mali and Myanmar. Grasses can also be grown as flood pastures to meet livestock feed.
Promote aquaculture: The productivity of flood-based farming systems can also be boosted by considering the through fishery, For example, fishponds and aquaculture can supply local communities with protein, while requiring fewer inputs than other agricultural practices.
Internal governance: Flood-damaged farming systems are underappreciated and poorly understood by governments, donors and development agencies. To realize the full potential, governance must be improved, including by familiarizing policy makers, extension workers, academics and other water professionals with the potential for and benefits of floods-based farming.
Aquifer recharge: Aquifer recharge is water that moves from the land surface or unsaturated zone into the saturated zone through well and boring techniques. It is more technical and expensive but very effective to drain maximum flood water to recharge groundwater. Local governments should take speedy actions and select sites with maximum standing flood water to drain from cultivated areas.
For agricultural lands, flooded soils present significant obstacles. The most significant direct effect of floods is the accumulation of sand and debris on productive lands. Also triggers the runoff of agricultural topsoil and flooded soil syndrome; the loss of useful fungi that mobilize plant nutrients from the soil. Erosion can result in the loss of essential plant-available nutrients and organic materials. In addition, the deposition of flood sediments may raise the soil’s NPK and Zn levels. Flooding can limit the amount of available phosphorus, hence diminishing the populations of microbes important for enhancing phosphorus availability.
Therefore, soil health, including soil texture, structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient availability, should be recovered after flooding for enhanced agricultural productivity. The farming community must therefore prepare for the gradual restoration of their agricultural soils. Multiple recovery procedures are employed to manage the soil following flooding.
First, to minimize limitations to crop production and manage deposition in fields, farmers must evaluate if the material and objects may be tilled into the ground or whether they must be physically removed. Due to the size of the debris and the travel distance, physical removal is expensive. Additionally, certain laws forbid the addition of sediments to the river.
The second procedure is to fix the physical destruction that erosion has done to the soil. The loss of soil will cause gullies and gaps to appear in the field. Tillage can help to reduce some erosion. The gullies are often stuffed with sediment first, then topsoil from another part of the field is filled in it. The farmer might be forced to give up on the field if the expense of the repair is too high.
Thirdly, it’s crucial to promote microbial and fungi activity in the soil. Symbiotic fungi called arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) develop inside and on the roots of plants. Fungi penetrate roots without causing any harm to the plant. As a result, the plant gives the fungi nourishment in the form of carbohydrates, whereas the fungi give plant nutrients, particularly phosphorus.
