AIMAN JAVED MS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Climate change and agriculture of Pakistan

Introduction

Climate change poses serious threats to Pakistan. Presently, climate change is considered one of
the serious crises in Pakistan, as it is one of the most vulnerable countries, mostly due to its
diverse geographical and climatic features. As such, it has caused various disasters in the form of
floods, droughts, and other natural calamities in the country. In the aftermath of the 2010 floods,
one fifth of the country’s land area was submerged; it severely damaged the economy and
infrastructure, impacted livelihoods of millions of people, and left 90 million people food
insecure. Pakistan is among those countries which were badly affected in 2012 due to climate
change

Climate change is a great challenge for the agrarian economy of Pakistan. The agriculture sector
of Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change. Livelihoods of millions of Pakistanis are
dependent on agriculture sector which is highly sensitive to climate change.

This sector contributes approximately 25% to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and it
absorbs about 42% of the labor force. The sector generates over 75% of export revenue and it is
the largest employer sector in the country. Agriculture sector in Pakistan faces serious challenges
from climate change-induced impacts, i.e., rising temperatures, floods, droughts and yield
losses . It is likely the variation in monsoons and increased temperature is a real challenge to the
agriculture sector in Pakistan.

Effects of climate change on agriculture

Agriculture is a sensitive sector to climate change and it is considered among the most
vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate change . Extreme weather conditions and
precipitation changes are affecting the crop development, growth and yield of crops. Rise in
temperature reduces the grain filling duration, caused the grains sterility and yield reduction.

It is projected with 1°C rise in temperature will cause (6–9%) decline in wheat productivity.

The productivity of wheat and rice in Pakistan has been predicted to decline by 5.68 and 9.44%,
respectively, until 2035. . In the southeast Punjab region, the yield of cotton and sugarcane may
decrease by 1.27% and 1.82% per annum, respectively, with a temperature increase of 2 °C.
AIMAN JAVED MS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Sugarcane is more sensitive to climate change in this area. increase in temperatures by about 3–
5 °C can reduce the crop yield of cotton and sugarcane in the southeast Punjab by up to 6% and
16% per annum.

Punjab is a fertile agricultural region which holds an extensive irrigation network and plays a
leading role in the development of the economy. The province accounts for 56.2% of the total
cultivated area, 53% of the total agricultural gross domestic product and 74% of the total cereal
production in the country. Punjab mainly contributes for agricultural sector in the percentage of
land (57.2%) in agricultural sector and the percentage share (53%) of Pakistan’s agricultural
gross domestic product. Agriculture sector in Punjab is facing the impacts of climate change.

Mitigation and adaptation measures

Various climate change policies are established at international, national, subnational, and local
levels to address the impacts of climate change. Traditionally, the focus of such policies
remained on mitigation instead of adaptation measures despite urgent requirements for
adaptation strategies being emphasized.

Adaptation is adapting to life in a changing climate which involves adjusting to actual or

expected future climate. The goal is to reduce our vulnerability to the harmful effects of climate
change (like sea-level encroachment, more intense extreme weather events or food insecurity). It
also encompasses making the most of any potential beneficial opportunities associated with
climate change (for example, longer growing seasons or increased yields in some regions).

Pakistan responded with various initiatives, mainly on adaptation measures. These initiatives are
in the form of climate change policies, implementation frameworks and some other measures.
The national climate change policy of Pakistan says, “Adaptation efforts are the focus of this
document.” Pakistan is ranked in the list of the countries that have the least adaptive capacity due
to extreme poverty and lack of physical and financial resources.

There are studies in Pakistan which highlight the need for adaptation action but actual field-
based studies for adaptation responses to climate change are rare.

Subnational governments, being closer to the locale of climatic impacts, play a key role in the
effective implementation of climate change policies. In the case of Pakistan, the implementation
AIMAN JAVED MS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

of climate change and other related policies rests with subnational governments. Government has
taken some initiatives which includes:

Adaptation initiatives

 Awareness campaign
 Training programs for farmers
 Research and innovation
 Institutional capacity and role of academics
 Departmental coordination
 Autonomous adaptation and transference of adaptation initiatives

What can be done?

1. In Pakistan, crop productivity can be enhanced significantly by improving availability of

good quality agriculture inputs like seed, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, water and their
efficient, judicious and balanced use. Improvement in farmers’ access (timely & doorstep
availability at reasonable price & subsidy) to these inputs and services through improved
agriculture credit would improve land productivity tremendously.
2. The increases in prices do induce higher land productivity through use of improved and
new agriculture inputs. So, for enhanced agricultural productivity, a proper price policy
of government is vital. Thus, keeping the prices aligned with international prices provides
the right incentives to the farmers to increase their land productivity.
3. As education of farmers can lead towards considerable increases in agricultural
productivity, there is a dire need to expand educational and training facilities in rural
areas of Pakistan to provide education and training to farmers regarding productive
agriculture. Farmers’ days, field visits and awareness campaigns should also be launched
to educate and train the farmers about seeds of high-yielding varieties, modern cultivation
and irrigation technologies and efficient and judicious inputs use.
4. Investment in research, extension and education and support services for new agricultural
technologies is vital to increase agricultural productivity.
5. Improved availability, reliability and equity of irrigation water and enhanced water use
efficiency are vital for enhancing agricultural productivity in Pakistan. Currently, the
AIMAN JAVED MS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

scenario of water shortage, inefficient irrigation systems and low water use efficiency
does not match water supply with water demands for enhancing agricultural productivity.
This situation demands an urgent and immediate water storage development,
conservation and efficient utilization of water.