Abdul Ghani

The rehabilitation and improvement of the Akram Wah Canal under the World Bank-financed Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation (SWAT) Project is set to begin in March 2026, according to a document available with Wealth Pakistan.

The SWAT Project, supported through International Development Association (IDA) Credits 7254-PK and 7255-PK amounting to $292 million, has a total cost of $320 million, including the government of Sindh’s contribution.

The project is being implemented by the irrigation and agriculture departments across multiple districts of Sindh with the objective of improving agricultural water productivity, strengthening irrigation services, and supporting small and medium farmers affected by the 2022 floods.

Institutional and agricultural components of the project have already shown progress, including the launch of the hydro-agro informatics program, preparation of area development plans for farmer organizations, and field demonstrations on climate-smart agriculture.

The project financing includes a $98 million concessional credit with a 30-year repayment period and a $192 million non-concessional credit based on Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus spread. The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in December 2022 following recommendations by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), and later cleared by the World Bank Board.

Officials said that the project t is considered a flagship initiative for improving water governance, irrigation efficiency, and agricultural resilience in Sindh.

Credit: INP-WealthPk