UK High Commissioner launches climate-smart farming Tech in Okara to boost water efficiency & crop yields

OKARA: British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott visited Okara on Thursday, where she inaugurated a modern farming system designed to help farmers conserve water, reduce costs, and produce better crops. The project is part of a UK-funded programme that promotes climate-smart farming in Pakistan.

The new system, called the Eddy Covariance Flux Tower, collects real-time information about water, carbon, methane and energy exchanges between farmland and the air. Experts say this technology is already helping the Punjab Irrigation Department manage water more efficiently and is also supporting the Ministry of Climate Change in preparing more robust reports about greenhouse gas emissions.

During her visit, Jane Marriott was also shown soil moisture sensors that are being introduced to farmers in Okara. These simple and low-cost devices tell farmers exactly when and how much water their fields need. This helps them save water and electricity while increasing crop yields. Farmers in the area have already reported that these tools are reducing their expenses and improving their harvests.

Speaking at the event, the British envoy said the UK was committed to supporting Pakistan in building climate resilience. “It is no longer enough to react after crises; we must act now to build resilience. What we see here in Okara is exactly that — UK and Pakistan working together on practical, science-driven solutions,” she said.

The visit came at a time when heavy floods continued to damage parts of Pakistan, reminding policymakers about the importance of planning with evidence and data. Dr Mohsin Hafeez, Director for Water, Food & Ecosystem at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), stressed the need for Pakistan to move away from “reactive crisis management” towards long-term, science-based strategies.

He explained that the data collected from the flux tower is being combined with satellite information to give more accurate national estimates of water use, carbon balance and methane emissions. This will help Pakistan make better policies for tackling climate change.

At the end of the ceremony, Jane Marriott met with male and female farmers who shared how the new technology had improved their lives. They told her that better water use had not only increased their productivity but also reduced their input costs. The event ended with the High Commissioner planting a tree, marking her support for greener and more sustainable farming practices in Pakistan.