Pakistan, one of the largest rice producer countries (fifth largest), is virtually exporting 8 to 10 per cent of its waters around the world while it remains thirsty for a few months of every year. Around 3,000 litres of water are used in production of one kilogramme of rice in South Asia, as compared to 2,500 litres in some other regions.

Mostly, Pakistan exports basmati and non-basmati rice, specifically super basmati, basmati, brown rice, Irri-6 and Irri-9. Pakistan’s Irri 9 and 386 are also in demand in the Gulf and Middle East by the middle class society as it is cheaper than basmati rice. The country also grows the D98 variety which is aromatic rice and considered as basmati rice as it is grown by basmati seeds. However, its super basmati rice is liked all over the world as the best basmati rice.

Sindh and Punjab are famous for rice production, of which Sindh produces non-basmati varieties while Punjab mostly grows high quality basmati rice.

Rice is the second largest export of Pakistan -- 3.73 million tons of rice was exported a couple of years back (FY14). It is also staple food in some northern and southern districts of Sindh. The most favourite dish in its largest city Karachi, Biryani, is made of the best quality rice.

Though rice crop accounts for the greatest proportion of the country’s water consumption, it has no alternate way of growing other crops. In 2014, Pakistan virtually exported 9.07 million acre feet (maf) water, which is roughly 8 per cent canal water of Pakistan’s total water resources measured 114 maf (million acre feet) per year.

Besides rice, sugarcane and banana are also huge water-consuming crops in Pakistan. But, experts as well as growers do not see any other option of cropping. "Because of food security, we have to protect rice, banana and sugarcane. We cannot reduce their production," said Professor Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar of Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam.

Kumbhar said since Sindh’s growers were not getting proper incentives on less water-consuming crops like cotton, the growers were switching towards other more water-consuming crops. "We have exported banana this year," he said. "Previously, we were not exporting it."

Hamid Malhi, president Basmati Growers Association (BGA), said that Pakistan has a different situation as compared to other rice-growing countries, as many rice growing areas in Pakistan, especially in the Punjab, were high rainfall areas and no other crop was possible than rice. "Central and North Punjab is high rainfall areas from Sargodha to Lahore," he said.

Bahawalnagar and Sahiwal in Punjab and Larkana in Sindh are ground areas, where water table is high and crops are irrigated on canal water. "Cotton cannot be grown in areas where rice is grown because of high humidity [in those places]," he said. "Growing rice in the area where cotton is grown is not a wise decision either; and this affects the overall production of cotton in the country."

Until last year, Ghotki, a district of Sindh province, cultivated paddy despite the fact it was a fertile land area with the second highest production in the province after Sanghar. However, since last year, authorities took control and paddy has been banned totally, as historically it remained banned on the left side of the Indus in Sindh province with the exception of Kotri barrage.

Some growers in rice-prohibited areas of Sanghar and Mirpurkhas are still producing paddy because of less return on cotton (a less water consuming crop).

Sugarcane can survive in the paddy area, but it also consumes more water and needs water supply throughout the year. Malhi said that since there has been no new water reservoir in the country for the last 30 years, the country was losing water resources at the rate of one per cent per year.

Pakistan is still facing tough competition from other countries in virtual exports of its waters. Zulfikar Thaver, a rice exporter and President of Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (Unisame), said the export of basmati rice was facing tough competition from India as the prices of Indian rice were lower than theirs. "Even our super basmati rice is considered superior but there is a shift from basmati rice to non-basmati varieties as they are economical," he said. "We are also exporting Irri-6 which is in demand in China and African countries. This is glutinous rice liked by the African countries."

The growers are the worst affected with the growing competition and declining prices in the world, as majority of them have no option other than rice-growing in Pakistan.

Abdul Majeed Nizamani, President Sindh Abadgar Board (a union of growers in Sindh province), said that situation in Sindh is no different than that in Punjab. Those areas in Sindh are selected for paddy production where production of other crops is not possible. Right belt of Indus River System in Sindh province and Kotri Barrage canals are exclusively designed for the paddy-growing areas.

Cotton and other crops cannot be produced in high-humidity areas. However, sugarcane is a crop of 12 months but paddy is also produced on non-perennial canals that draw water for six months only in a year. Thus, sugarcane in those areas is also not a feasible crop.

Nizamani said that paddy uses 44 inches of water while cotton consumes 24 inches of water. "Ridged sowing, a new system of irrigation in Sindh, has been introduced at high quality lands, where paddy is produced at 50 per cent less water," he said. "It depends on the land, which retains the moisture."

Research on less water consuming cropping patterns, more yield or alternate varieties is very poor in Pakistan, which is badly hit by climate change. Nizamani said drip irrigation technology could save usage of water on these crops but that was not being practiced as there were no proactive agriculture, groundwater, water and environment policies in the province.

"We can reduce usage of water by adopting drip irrigation ridged farming but it requires support and proper training to farmers," Professor Kumbhar said. "Government departments on water and agriculture research have failed to deliver because growers are not willing to change farming patterns with no incentives." Ridged farming and drip irrigation can save Pakistan at least 4 maf water if adopted in all paddy-sowing areas in the country.