Ayesha Saba

The Balochistan government is set to undergo a transformative change with the planned conversion of agricultural tube wells to solar energy. This initiative aims to address the longstanding issues plaguing the region’s agriculture and energy sectors. Talking to WealthPK about the initiative, Haji Abdul Rahman Bazai, general secretary of Balochistan Zamindar Action Committee, said the province’s agriculture sector, which forms the backbone of its economy, had been under immense pressure due to a lack of reliable power supply. “Farmers are faced with unpredictable power outages and rising fuel costs, making irrigation and crop production extremely challenging,” he explained. He stated that water scarcity, exacerbated by power shortages, had been a major issue in the province. “Nearly 81% of farmers report insufficient water for irrigation due to frequent loadshedding.” Meanwhile, Wahid Hussain, an Assistant Director at Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies, said, “The adoption of solar energy for tube wells is a crucial step towards sustainable agriculture.

“Solar-powered water pumps represent an innovative irrigation solution, and will go a long way in reducing reliance on diesel to power tube wells, thus helping to reduce oil import bill and improving the balance of payments situation.” He said adoption of modern and innovative techniques would really boost Pakistan’s agriculture sector as in the era of precision agriculture, traditional farming practices were no longer effective. “The shift to solar-powered tube wells will help boost agriculture productivity and improve farmers’ standard of living,” he added. The provincial government, in collaboration with the Power Division, will develop a comprehensive roadmap to transition 30,000 agricultural tube wells to solar power. The financial backing for this project includes a substantial contribution of Rs40 billion from the federal government and an additional Rs10 billion from the provincial government. In a recent meeting, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal reaffirmed the commitment to accelerating the conversion of agricultural tube wells to solar energy in Balochistan.

He said that all resources were being utilised to ensure the timely completion of the federal development’s projects in Balochistan. During the meeting, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti highlighted the challenges encountered by the farming community in the province, citing issues such as insufficient electric supply and frequent loadshedding. Sarfaraz underscored the significance of embracing alternative energy sources. He highlighted the potential of solar-powered harvesting and solar tube wells in enhancing the agriculture sector. Furthermore, he pledged that the provincial government would take necessary measures to combat electricity theft and guarantee uninterrupted power supply to the farming community.

Credit: INP-WealthPk