Success Story of Portable Rain Gun Project of HEIS Ambassador Farmer

Qaiser Abbas Khan Magsi

Farmer Introduction

Qaisar Abass Khan Magsi is an ambassador farmer of Jaffer

agro Services, belongs to the well known

Magsi family in the Thal Area.

Historically, the family has been engaged

in farming and holding herds of sheep,

goat, and cattle in the arid areas of Nawan

Kot, Chobara and Khaira Wala. He has done his graduation

from Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan he has been

elected as Tehsil Nazim in year 2000 and again re-elected for

the same portfolio in year 2004, restoring the confidence of

the general public of the area, where more than 90 % of the

people are directly dependent on agriculture. In 2008 Mr.

Qaisar Khan was elected as Member of Provincial Assembly

(MPA) from the same constituency and is still holding this

office and working for the welfare of the people of the area

and for the development of the infrastructure in Thal region

which was once called as the most backward region in the

entire Punjab Province. Under his leadership, there has been

significant development in education, health, roads &

communication. Besides above sectoral development, he

initiated several projects for the development of agriculture

sector, especially in irrigation and livestock development

which is an age old profession of the people of the Thal

region.

Following the legacy of his ancestors Sardar Qaisar Abass

Khan started to convert rain fed arid farming into a

mechanized, irrigated and progressive one. Following this

course of action, he opted for newly introduced high

efficiency irrigation technology. He got Jaffer Brother’s shift

able rain gun system under the MINFA subsidy scheme and

operated on rain fed dunes area over his gram crop. This

system on one hand tripled the gram yield as compared to the

general gram yield per acre of the area on the other hand it also

countered the two year of seasonal drought which had been

faced by the Thal region. He got desired results out of the

operation of the system and got visible economic benefits.

With the launch of Greater Thal Flood Canal, the farmers of the

area have got a perfect importance of the HEIS while Qaisar

Khan and his Magsi family is setting a good example and

pioneering in successful development of agriculture through this

modern irrigation system.

Farm Particulars

Farm Location

Nawan Kot, Tehsil Chobara, District Layyah, Punjab, Pakistan

Farm Topography

Totally undulated sand dunes, with depth varying from 10 to 30

feet

Land Leveling

Levelling is completely out of question and is financially

impossible in view of time and high cost of diesel for tractor and

other machinery operations.

Plotting Layout

There is no proper layout as the land in this area is comprised of

big land units.

Drainage & Water Supply System

Draining is absolutely no matter in the area since sandy profile

does not need any drainage. Fortunately, subsoil water in good

quality is available in the whole area within 10 to 15 feet depth

which is the major source of the availability of water.

Salient Features of Rain gun Project

System Price

Total System Price * Rs. 1,227,100

Per Acre Price (if used for 25 Acres) Rs. 49,084

Per Acre Price (if used for 50 Acres) Rs. 24,542

Per Acre Price (if used for 75 Acres) Rs. 16,361

� This system can be used upto 75 acres depending upon seasonality

(Kharif or Rabi) and crop water requirement.

Farming Practices

2010-11 2011-12

Crop Gram Gram

System used on Acres 50 75

Sowing Date 15-Oct-2010 20-Oct-2011

Harvesting Date 27-Mar-2011 4-Apr-2012

Fertilizer Used SSP SSP

Seed Rate 20-30 Kg/acre 20-30 Kg/acre

Fertilizer Quantity (Kg/acre) 50 kg 50 kg

Yield Per Acre (Mounds) 20 15

Note: In 2010-11, the seasonal winter rains also compensated

while in 2011-12, there was absolutely no rain during the whole

crop season.

At the same time, there had been consisting frosting during the

fruiting and pod filling, which caused loss of yield.

The crop was given 2 irrigations each year. The system was run

for 1:30 hrs per hydrant per irrigation.

Three persons had been irrigating 7 acres daily.

Yield Comparison 2010-11 Vs. 2011-12

2010-11 2011-12

with

Rain gun

without

Rain

gun

with

Rain gun

without

Rain gun

Crop Gram Gram Gram Gram

Area under Irrigation (Acres) 50 50 75 75

Yield Per Acre (mounds) 20 8 15 1

Price Per Mound (PKR) 5,400

5,400 8,100 8,100

Income Per Acre (PKR) 108,000

43,200 121,500 8,100

Total Income (Rs. Mio) 5.40 2.16 9.11 0.61

Benefits of Portable Rain Gun System

• No excavation & back filling

• Quick & easy installation

• Low installation cost

• Less maintenance

• No fear of system chocking

• Speedy jointing & easy detachment

• Suitable for undulated sites

Project Location Layyah, D.G.Khan

HEI System Type Rain Gun

Subsidy Scheme MINFA

System Installation Year 2010

Area under system 25 Acres

HEI System Crop Gram

Soil Type: Sandy (Undulated)

Water Source Tube well (Direct Suction)

Ground Water Table Depth 15-20 ft

Type of Power To Be Used Tractor (min. 32 hp)

Wetted Radius 34.5 meters

Total No. of Rain guns

Operated Per Zone 2

Rain Gun System at Qaiser Abass Khan Magsi Farm