Climate-Smart Agriculture for Water Conservation and Improving Cotton Productivity: Evidence from Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Abstract

The vast use of conventional farming practices remains one of the major reasons for low crop production in underdeveloped countries, like Pakistan. Crop yield and water saving can be increased through adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSPSs) like, laser land level, raised bed planting and tensiometer based irrigation system. To investigate the potential of CSAPs, a field study was conducted at Basti Jameel Abad, District Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan during cotton growing season of 2024. The trial is comprised of four treatments, viz., T1 (conventional farming practices), T2 (laser land level), T3 (laser land level + raised bed planting) and T4 (laser land level + raised bed planting + tensiometer based irrigation). Cotton variety “IUB-18” was sown. Raised bed planting with tensiometer based irrigation system (T4) yields highest crop yield (1677.3 kg/ha) and water saving (42.72%) as compared to conventional farming practices. The T4 treatment also gives the highest benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 1.79 as compared to the 1.48 BCR of conventional farming practices (T1). In terms of cotton production and water saving, raised bed planting with tensiometer based irrigation system outdid every other treatment. Therefore, considering these findings, cotton growers should use raised bed planting with a tensiometer based irrigation system to obtain high yield, efficient water use and sustainable cotton production.