The Indus Basin Irrigation system

• The source of the Indus river is high in  the Tibetan Plateau, and from there it flows from north to south the whole way through Pakistan until it reaches the Arabian sea
• The Indus basin includes parts of India, China and Afghanistan
• The drainage pattern in the Indus is described as dendritic (like a tree)

• It is  avery important water source for the two NEEs- India and Pakistan
• The Indus water treaty (1960) gave India control of the eastern rivers, and Pakistan have control of the western tributaries 
• this is important because it provides irrigation for Pakistan's agriicultural land
• the IBIS is the largest continuous irrigation scheme in the world

• supports 300 million people who live in the Indus Basin
• In addition to producing food, it also accounts for:
• 23% GDP
• 70% total export earnings
• 54% of employment labour force
• Social advantages:
• Diets have improved as a greater range of food sources are available
• fish farming in storage reservoirs provides a source of protein
• Economic advantages:
• Increase in agriculture has improved exports and in turn the economy
• irrigation has increased crop yields, e.g. fruit by 150%
• Environmental advantages:
• HEP is generated by the dams

• Economic disadvantages of the IBIS system:
• poor irrigation techniques menas that water is wasted
• high summer temperatures result in high water loss through evaporation
• Environmental:
• high water levels have led to waterlogging in places
• salinisation causes long-term damage to soils
• Social:
• some farmers take an unfair share of water, depriving others downstream
• population growth will increase the demand for the future

THE INDUS BASIN IRRIGATION SYSTEM

(advantages and disadvantages of a large-scale agricultural development to increase food supply)