American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry 2014; 2(6): 289-295 Published online December 18, 2014 (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajaf) doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.20 ISSN: 2330-8583 (Print); ISSN: 2330-8591 (Online) Hill torrents potentials and spate irrigation management to support agricultural strategies in Pakistan Muhammad Asif 1 , Col Islam-ul-Haque 2 1 Scientific Officer/AAE, CAEWRI NARC/Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Islamabad 2 Chairman, Ecological Sustainability through Environmental Services (Eco Steps), Islamabad, Pakistan Email address: asifbukhari1@gmail.com (M. Asif), islamhaq3@yahoo.com (C. Islam-ul-Haque) To cite this article: Muhammad Asif, Col Islam-ul-Haque. Hill Torrents Potentials and Spate Irrigation Management to Support Agricultural Strategies in Pakistan. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry. Vol. 2, No. 6, 2014, pp. 289-295. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.20 Abstract: Pakistan has not only been blessed with enriched hydrological cycling phenomenon which generate abandoned quantum of water in the northern part , but also possess 18.68 MAF Water Potential in water scarce areas of Pakistan , known as Rod Kohi. Spate irrigation is in practice in Pakistan, where, flood water, during monsoon season, gets generated and channelized from down-hill countered profiles (catchments area). These hill torrential are diverted to agriculture fields, by constructing earthen embankments or related hydraulic concrete structures. Since, hill sides torrential are unpredictable, temporally and spatially matrix, which poses numerous challenges to the farmers who in return forcibly integrate / pool up individual resources to partially manage this scarce resource. Though the annual rainfall ( ....100...mm/year) in this area is low and uncertain yet at the same time due to terrain lay out , substantial quantum of water gets accumulated due to downhill side terrain profile each rainfall event. The agriculture activities, in these areas are totally dependent on such type of phenomenal rainfalls. Unfortunately, due to lack of scientific water resource management and modern agriculture practices, major quantum of torrential flood water is not only gets wasted , but also causes huge losses to human life and property . This catastrophic situation arises, as there are neither successive layers of check-dams on the down-hill sides of these mountain ranges, nor any kind of water storage facilities exist at the foot hill areas. PARC (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council) and Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Foundation ( PPAF) did funded some localized water storage , water conveyance and water distribution system interventions, but still there is a dire need of holistically adoption of watershed management approaches , based on resource integration concept and practices. This un-managed water resource must be harnessed / converted into lucrative opportunities to oxygenize the life line for millions of people residing in these areas. Keywords: Agricultural, Spate Irrigation, Rainfall, Water Management, Storage 1. Introduction By enlarge Pakistan is an agro based economy which contributes 21% towards the total GDP and 70% of the total population draw their livelihood from various agricultural activities. Over the past decade, due to various reasons, the agriculture industry, being the main livelihood of a sizeable population and major economic growth indicator is on the decline. Adverse impacts of climate change, coupled with bad water governance have further aggravated the problem. Required water availability at the right time and efficient irrigation led technological interventions are the key drivers for increased productivity enhancement in agriculture sector. Efficient water management and its application results in increased crop yields, more cropped area, cropping intensity and crop diversification. Water resources in Pakistan, especially outside the Indus basin irrigation system are limited/scarce to meet the crop water requirement. The productivity and sustainability of agriculture in these areas are dependent on the management of scarce water resources i.e. efficient water use. Due to saturation of agricultural production in irrigated areas of the country, search for new areas has become inevitable in order to feed the ever- increasing population in the country. 1.1. Delineation of Spate Irrigation Region The spate Irrigation region of Pakistan lies between longitude range of 60°50′ to 72° East and latitudes 24°42′ to 34° 3′ North (Fig 1). It comprises parts of southern NWFP, south-western Punjab, western Sindh and major part of