12/05/2026
FAO successfully concluded a four-day capacity development training on “Advancing Irrigation through Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)” in Quetta, bringing together officers from the Irrigation Department of the Government of Balochistan.
Organized under the EU-funded Revival of Balochistan Water Resources Programme (RBWRP), the training equipped Executive Engineers (XENs) and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) and with practical knowledge and modern tools for climate-smart irrigation planning, groundwater monitoring, drought assessment, remote sensing, water productivity analysis, and sustainable water governance.
The training also promoted integrated and inclusive approaches to water management, including nature-based solutions such as karez systems, spate irrigation, groundwater recharge, and gender-responsive planning.
Mr. Waleed Mahdi, Head of Office and International Programme Coordinator, FAO, highlighted that sustained investment in government capacity is key to enabling evidence-based planning and effective implementation of water sector reforms under climate stress.
Speaking at the closing ceremony,
Mr. Zia Ur Rehman, Additional Secretary, Government of Balochistan, Irrigation Department emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional capacity to operationalize integrated water management in response to growing water and climate challenges.