LAND USE AND LOCAL WATER HARVESTING PRACTICES AT HILKOT WATERSHED (MANSEHRA)

摘要

The study was conducted on existing local water harvesting and land use practices at Hillkot watershed. Mansehra, NWFP, Pakistan during 1999. Water harvesting and cropping pattern were determined by interviewing the farmers. In watershed majority of farmers (66%) are tenants, followed by tenants (18%) and o.wner/tenants (16%). In area forest covers (51%), rangeland (35%), irrigated (8%) and un-irrigated (6%). In Khar if season maize on rainfed (52%) and rice on irrigated (34%) are major crops. In Rabi season mostly people grow wheat (34%) for grain and fodder purposes while 57 % of the total land remains fallow. Wheat - Maize is the dominant crop rotation on rainfed land as well as in remote irrigated area. The other cropping rotations on irrigatedfarms are Rice-Wheat and Rice-Vegetables. About 30% of respondents are using warabandi system and, 24% are using demand base irrigation system and 24% of farmers said that there is no distribution system in the area, however, natural general rule of upstream to downstream is practiced. Quantity of irrigation water is less than the crop demand during growing season. About 42% of respondent complained about shortage of water, 32% are satisfied with the existing irrigation supplies and 24% have no water for irrigation. Majority of respondent said that in May-June there is acute shortage of water in watershed, but as monsoon starts water becomes access. Most of farmers pointed out that by increasing water supply during cropping season they would like to irrigate more field and want to change cropping pattern from mono-cropping to multi cropping. Water harvesting activities in the area like storage tanks for runoff water, vegetation and tea plantation to control erosion and technical support about agricultural activities can boost agricultural activities and can improve living standard of the people.