In relation to preparing for a kharif shortage of water plant at a more moderate population to encourage more robust root systems. Concentrate on starter Phosphorus to encourage early and agressive root systems. Plant deeper in depth than normal. Short maturity millet and sorghums. grain amaranth and sunflower for non cereal crops. Direct water to drain near the crop site such a zai system.

Thank you dear Dr. Paul Reed Hepperly for your valuable addition.

Hi Shah,

If you also consider feed for livestock one very interesting possibility is lucerne. It is very drought tolerant and can produce very high yields provided it is sown in deep free-draining soils. 

If you need more info, let me know and I'll be happy to share it with you. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

José

Dr. José Martín Jáuregui, you are right. lucerne is also an important crop and its cultivation is required since livestock in Pakistan increasing at rate of about 4.2% annually. On the hand cultivated area is decreasing at rate of 2% as well.

But, issue is that Sindh province has well fertilized soil as well as world's first  class irrigation system from Indus river. Here farmer/growers 90% cultivates cotton and wheat crops. They are high water consuming crops. Now high water shortage threat is alarming  for Indus river, but growers do no understanding. They will cultivated cotton and possibly later stage cotton can completely destroy due to unavailability of water.

Dear José Martín Jáuregu, i am grateful for your addition of good suggestions regarding the issue.

As a rule of thumb, any C4 species will be more efficient in using water than any other C3 species. The reduced photorrespiration of C4 species also allows for higher yields provided temperatures are high. 

Stubborn farmers are also found in our country. So you have ahead of you a tough job convincing them to switch from their traditional crops to alternative ones. Good luck!

Selection of varieties is more important for water stress environment. Addition of FYM or organic sources, seed priming, deep planting, short duration varieties, use of higher application of P and K. Foliar spray of poatsh and urea during grand growth period, alternate furrow irrigation, mulching with crop residues may be adopted to minimize the adverse effect of drought.