The non-judicious use of water at the farm level in traditional irrigation application methods is a present-day concern across the world that can be resolved by enhancing application efficiency through the adoption of advanced irrigation techniques. Sprinkler irrigation is a method that has high application efficiency, which can be further increased when coupled with automation toward precision irrigation. The objectives of this review are to summarize the main aspects of sprinkler and precision irrigation and their development, scope, and future prospects specifically in Asian countries. In this paper, a modified methodology, inspired by PRISMA guidelines, was used to explore the available literature to summarize the existing knowledge in the field. Regarding the technological aspects of the analyzed works, it became evident that sprinkler systems are an efficient method to not only irrigate crops (with 39% water saving) but also for the application of fertilizers with higher efficiency (>35%) and water productivity (>14.1%) compared with gravity irrigation systems. Moreover, this paper highlights the prominent features of precision irrigation for maximizing agricultural productivity. The use of sprinkler irrigation with precision applications using automation with a sensor-based mechanism for field data collection, data transformation, data analysis, and operation of IoT-based automatic solenoid valves can save 20–30% more irrigation water and increase crop yield by 20–27%. An analytical understanding and knowledge of the field were used to draw conclusions that are thought-provoking for scientists, researchers, and other stakeholders.

Millions of people in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan are dependent on the freshwater supply of the Vakhsh River system. Sustainable management of the water resources of the Vakhsh River Basin (VRB) requires comprehensive assessment regarding future climate change and its implications for streamflow. In this study, we assessed the potential impacts of projected climate change scenarios on the streamflow in the VRB for two future periods (2022–2060 and 2061–2099). The probable changes in the regional climate system were assessed using the outputs of five global climate models (GCMs) under two representative concentration pathways (RCPs), RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The probable streamflow was simulated using a semi-distributed hydrological model, namely the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Evidence of a significant increase in the annual average temperature by the end of the 21st century was found, ranging from 2.25 to 4.40 °C under RCP4.5 and from 4.40 to 6.60 °C under RCP8.5. The results of three GCMs indicated a decreasing tendency of annual average precipitation (from −1.7% to −16.0% under RCP4.5 and from −3.4% to −29.8% under RCP8.5). Under RCP8.5, two GCMs indicated an increase (from 2.3% to 5.3%) in the average annual precipitation by the end of 2099. The simulated results of the hydrological model reported an increasing tendency of average annual streamflow, from 17.5% to 52.3% under both RCPs, by the end of 2099. A shift in the peak flow month was also found, i.e., from July to June, under both RCPs. It is expected that in the future, median and high flows might increase, whereas low flow might decrease by the end of 2099. It is concluded that the future seasonal streamflow in the VRB are highly uncertain due to the probable alterations in temperature and precipitation. The findings of the present study could be useful for understanding the future hydrological behavior of the Vakhsh River, for the planning of sustainable regional irrigation systems in the downstream countries, i.e., Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and for the construction of hydropower plants in the upstream countries.

Traditional irrigation practices, low crop productivity, unlevelled fields, water losses taking place during conveyance and application phases, as well as low irrigation efficiencies are the main problems of the common farmers in Pakistan. These problems are more noticeable in the command area of Lower Chenab Canal (LCC), which is the main portion of the Indus Basin Project in Pakistan. To overcome these problems, different water management technologies such as precision land levelling (PLL), bed planting, drip irrigation systems, and watercourse improvement were introduced to farmers to increase water savings and crop yields in the area of five distributaries—Khurrianwala, Shahkot, Mungi, Khikhi, Killianwala and Dijkot—during the cropping seasons of 2008 to 2015. The use of drip irrigation resulted in savings of water and fertilizer and increased the crop yields by 30–40%. Three watercourses, one on each site of 1200 m in length, were lined, which resulted in improved conveyance efficiency of 15–20%. If wheat, rice and cotton in the command area of LCC are sown on precisely levelled fields and on beds, then about 2768.1 million m³ and 3699.3 million m³ of irrigation water can be saved. These results show the potential of water-efficient technologies for saving water as well as increasing crop yields.

The source region of the Indus River (SRIR), which is located in the Hindukush, Karakoram and Himalayan (HKH) mountainous range and on the Third Pole (TP), is very sensitive to climate change, especially precipitation changes, because of its multifarious orography and fragile ecosystem. Climate changes in the SRIR also have important impacts on social and economic development, as well as on the ecosystems of the downstream irrigation areas in Pakistan. This paper investigates the changes in precipitation characteristics by dividing the daily precipitation rate into different classes, such as light (0–10 mm), moderate (10.1–25 mm) and heavy precipitation (>25 mm). Daily precipitation data from gauging and non-gauging stations from 1961–2015 are used. The results of the analysis of the annual precipitation and rainy day trends show significant (p < 0.05) increases and decreases, respectively, while light and heavy precipitation show significant decreasing and increasing trends, respectively. The analysis of the precipitation characteristics shows that light precipitation has the highest number of rainy days compared to moderate or heavy precipitation. The analysis of the seasonal precipitation trends shows that only 18 stations have significant increasing trends in winter precipitation, while 27 stations have significant increasing trends in summer precipitation. Both short and long droughts exhibit increasing trends, which indicates that the Indus Basin will suffer from water shortages for agriculture. The results of this study could help policymakers cope with floods and droughts and sustain eco-environmental resources in the study area.

Groundwater is a primary source of freshwater provisions all around the world. Due to its limited availability, water has become a precious entity nowadays. The future accessibility of groundwater is endangered due to its massive exploitation, particularly in the irrigation sector. Therefore, the current study was conducted to assess the declining groundwater levels in Rechna Doab, Punjab, Pakistan, where the aquifer has been reported to be highly stressed. A groundwater flow model was developed using the MODFLOW code of the USGS, and the steady-state model was calibrated for the year 2006, followed by a transient calibration for the years 2006–2010. Finally, the model was validated for 2011–2013, and a new scenario-based approach was used. Multiple future scenarios were developed to simulate the future response of the aquifer under changed recharge and pumping. The hydrodynamics of the groundwater flow was studied for two decades, i.e., up to 2033. The results under the business-as-usual scenario revealed a net gain in water levels in the upper parts of the study area. In contrast, a lowering of water levels was predicted in the central and lower parts. A maximum drop in the water level was anticipated to be 5.17 m, with a maximum gain of 5 m. For Scenario II, which followed the historical trend of pumping, an overall decline in water levels was observed, with a maximum expected drawdown of 15.68 m. However, the proposed water management Scenario III showed a general decrease in the upper study region, with the highest drop being 10.7 m, whereas an overall recovery of 6.87 m in the lower regions was observed. The simulations also suggested that the unconfined aquifer actively responded to the different scenario-based interventions. It was concluded that the region’s aquifer needs immediate action regarding pumping and recharge patterns to avoid a potential increase in pumping costs and to preserve the sustainability of endangered groundwater resources. Moreover, proper groundwater pumping and its policy legislation for its management should be implemented in order to protect this precious resource.