By Ayesha Saba ISLAMABAD, Feb. 17 (INP-WealthPK): Agriculture is a crucial source of sustenance for the mountain communities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Over 90% of households in these regions are primarily dependent on agriculture. The two regions also hold great potential in producing organic and resilient local varieties of crops, but the main problem is that large swathes of arable land in these areas are located at higher altitudes. The steep terrain makes it difficult to irrigate the land through canal system. Under such conditions, alternative water-lifting such as the hydraulic ram pump, an efficient irrigation technology, is required to extend the agriculture base along the elevated riverbanks. It is a self-actuating river water-lifting pump that lifts water from a position near the water source to a higher location. Talking about this system of irrigation, Rizwan Ahmed, an assistant director at Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), told WealthPK: “It is practical where conventional power for pumping water is not available, such as remote areas where the installation of electric pumps will be uneconomical or where an internal combustion engine will be impractical. This method particularly suits to Gilgit-Baltistan, where swathes of land are left unirrigated precisely because water sources are downhill.” Explaining the ram pump’s working, Mr Ahmed says, “This pump uplifts nearly 10 litres of water in one minute up to 100 feet height. It does not require any source of energy or fuel and operates by only utilising mechanical energy of flowing water. This pump may operate continuously 24/7 and needs minimal annual maintenance”. “The PCRWR launched a pilot project of hydraulic ram pump in Gilgit-Baltistan in collaboration with the local community,” the official said, adding, “World Wide Fund-Pakistan mobilised the local community, while the PCRWR and the Mountain Agricultural Research Centre (MARC) provided technical support to establish the pilot site. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has also provided funds to WWF-Pakistan to introduce this method in six districts of Gilgit-Baltistan.” “There are many other development organisations that have shown interest in these types of technologies, including the Asia Foundation and the Gilgit-Baltistan government’s Economic Transformation Initiative,” said the PCRWR official. The PCRWR official said, “This low-cost water pumping method saves the farmers money to be used for buying seeds and fulfilling other requirements of cultivation. This can also help farmers produce multiple crops each year.” Mr. Ahmed told WealthPK that the hydraulic ram pump technique is gaining popularity amid concerns about environmental pollution caused by excessive use of fossil fuels for generating energy. The PCRWR official said the Pakistani government has also approved funding for the Gilgit-Baltistan water management department to install 50 hydro ram pumps along with 150 solar-powered pumps. “These systems will help irrigate 1,050 acres of orchards in the region.” This renewable energy resource for pumping water for sustainable irrigation is important keeping in view the environmental hazards caused by use of fossil fuels for energy generation, stressed Mr. Ahmed. He said hydraulic ram pump technology is a fantastic renewable energy solution. “However, it isn’t sustainable or profitable without the direct involvement of government, the launch of training programmes, and awareness and cooperation of communities.” The PCRWR official said the government can formulate relevant polices and strategies to promote contemporary innovative technologies and practices for the efficient use of the available natural resources, thereby enhancing the well-being of mountain communities and improving the health of mountain ecosystems.