BARA: The Bar Kambarkhel tribe of Khyber tribal district has called upon the government to open the canal water in their area for irrigation so that they could also grow different crops in the area.
The local people said a canal exists in the area for the last 60 years. The canal is properly built with concrete and its water is flowing from different small branches. However, the canal is damaged in various areas of Sepah and Malikdinkhel tribes and it is closed in Dawa Jangi area.
The Bar Kambarkhel people said the water of the canal is being wasted in Nala Khwar. People of the area said elected representatives from the area have not taken any step for opening of the canal and benefiting the local farmers.
The people of the area grew wheat crops after 25 years as water was available this year. The reason for availability of water was that the colonel of Shahkas has arranged water for irrigation of plants in the area twice or thrice a month which also gave an opportunity to local farmers to grow wheat and irrigate it when needed.
People of Bar Kambarkhel have called upon the government to permanently open the canal for them so that the local farmers can take benefit from it.
Wheat harvesting season has started in merged tribal districts which has brought some relief to farmers from the economic difficulties during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The Rabi crop that was sown before the onset of COVID-19 is providing much-needed relief to local farmers in North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Khyber, Orakzai, and Kurram districts whose livelihoods have been severely disrupted due to the ongoing crisis.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with support from UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) had provided improved climate-resilient certified wheat seeds to 8000 households, out of which 410 were female-headed households, to support the conservation of agriculture practices in the newly merged tribal districts. Fifty kilograms of certified seeds were provided to each family.
The expected yield will help counter the difficulties being faced by local farmers who heavily rely on agriculture-based livelihoods.
