Water is one of the most essential natural resources for human beings and is directly linked to all aspects of social life. Therefore, in today’s world, the conservation of water resources, which are being depleted and degraded due to the impacts of climate change, is crucial for sustainable long-term development.
It is mainly necessary to ensure an adequate supply of water for agricultural activities. Therefore, sufficient irrigation water should be provided through river water pumping systems from major rivers such as the Ayeyawady, Sitoung, Thanlwin, and Chindwin. Adequate access to both drinking water and irrigation water is essential. Water from rivers, streams, irrigation canals, and rainfall should be conserved and effectively reused.
In Myanmar, more than 800 million acre-feet of freshwater flows annually through rivers and streams, including the four major rivers, as well as natural lakes and wetlands. However, only a small percentage of this available freshwater is utilized for sectors such as agriculture, livestock farming, industry, and domestic use.
Therefore, in order to conserve and utilize freshwater resources effectively, it is necessary to explore potential areas such as the construction of low dams, hydropower generation, urban and rural water supply, irrigation water distribution, and the commercial production of water-related products. The structural integrity of existing dams should be regularly inspected, along with sedimentation conditions, the state of catchment areas, spillways, and drainage systems. Necessary maintenance and repairs should be continuously carried out.
The potential hydropower generation capacity from rivers and streams across the country exceeds 100,000 megawatts. However, the current installed hydropower capacity is only about 3,500 megawatts, meaning that only around 3.5 per cent of the potential has been developed so far. Therefore, greater emphasis should be placed on the development of hydropower generation.
It is necessary to accelerate year-by-year implementation plans to ensure water availability in villages in Sagaing, Mandalay and Magway regions, where drinking water and irrigation water are scarce during the summer season. Some areas in certain regions and states still experience shortages of drinking water before the onset of the rainy season in summer. Preparations should also be made in advance at the ward and village levels to ensure year-round water sufficiency.
Water resources should be identified and collected not only for agricultural purposes but also to meet the daily water needs of the public. Efforts should be made to improve products derived from water, and at the same time, the country should strive to make effective use of both freshwater and saltwater resources nationwide.
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