A Climate of Urgency for Pakistan’s Farmers

Ali Nawaz Rahimoo

Tharparkar: Pakistan today finds itself on the frontlines of a climate crisis it did little to cause. Despite contributing less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, we are among the countries most acutely affected by climate change.

From deadly heatwaves and water scarcity to flash floods and glacial melt, the threats are multiplying. Nowhere is this more devastating than in agriculture the sector that fuels our economy and sustains nearly 38 percent of our workforce.

Agriculture accounts for roughly 23 percent of Pakistan’s GDP, yet it remains extremely vulnerable to climate shocks. If left unaddressed, these climate impacts could slash agricultural productivity by 15 to 25 percent by 2040, according to the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources.

Such a drop would ripple across our food systems, rural employment, and economic stability. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Pakistan’s food future hangs in the balance. In this context, adopting Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) is no longer just good practice—it is a national imperative.

Encouragingly, pockets of progress are beginning to emerge. Pakistani scientists at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) are developing new seed varieties—heat- and drought-tolerant wheat, maize, and rice—that yield up to 30 percent more under stress conditions.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/back-to-the-soil/

In a world where rainfall is unpredictable and seasons are shifting, such innovations offer real hope. Likewise, promoting native livestock breeds like Sahiwal cattle and Kamori goats, which are more heat-tolerant and resilient to poor fodder conditions, is a practical and climate-smart approach.

But resilience isn’t just about crops and cattle—it’s about how we manage our scarcest resources. With per capita water availability now dipping below 1,000 cubic meters annually, Pakistan is nearing the edge of absolute water scarcity. This makes irrigation efficiency non-negotiable. Initiatives like the Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Productivity Improvement Project are showing how technologies such as drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and laser land leveling can cut water use by nearly half—without compromising yield.

Technology also offers game-changing potential. Mobile platforms like Zarai Baithak and Digital Dera are already equipping farmers with real-time weather forecasts, pest alerts, and farming tips.

In pilot regions, farmers using these tools have reported up to 20 percent increases in productivity compared to those relying on conventional methods. In an environment where every crop counts, such information access can be transformative.

Then there’s the soil beneath our feet—a silent casualty of years of over-cultivation, synthetic inputs, and burning crop residues. Restoring its health through conservation agriculture practices like zero tillage, crop rotation, and composting is essential. These not only improve water retention and fertility but also help sequester carbon—offering both adaptation and mitigation benefits.

A critical, often overlooked piece of the puzzle is livestock feeding. In regions like Tharparkar, Balochistan, and rainfed Punjab, where climate stress is intensifying, smart feeding solutions such as silage, feed blocks, and preserved forage can make a huge difference.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/hope-grows-in-the-desert/

Pakistan’s livestock currently consumes only about 75 percent of required digestible energy and 40 percent of necessary protein. Quality feeding improves productivity, enhances animal health, and significantly reduces methane emissions—up to 15 percent per animal. That’s a win for both livelihoods and the climate.

To its credit, the government has recognized the urgency. Climate-resilient agriculture features in Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy and our Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. Programs like the National Agricultural Emergency Programme and the Pakistan Climate Smart Agriculture Program, in partnership with FAO and the World Bank, are beginning to test and scale solutions on the ground. But these efforts need to move beyond pilots and projects—they must become central to agricultural policy and rural development.

Looking ahead, several priorities demand urgent attention. We need deeper investment in research, especially for climate-resilient seeds and locally adapted solutions. Digital advisory tools must reach the most underserved farming communities.

Climate insurance and safety nets are essential to shield smallholders from catastrophic losses. Training and extension services must be scaled up to ensure farmers understand and adopt sustainable practices.

And low-emission farming techniques like alternate wetting and drying for rice and neem-coated urea for nitrogen management must be mainstreamed.

Climate-resilient farming isn’t a futuristic concept. It’s already here—in our labs, fields, and phones. The challenge now is to accelerate and scale what works. With the right combination of scientific innovation, policy support, and farmer engagement, Pakistan can transform its agriculture into a model of climate resilience.

This is not just about growing crops—it’s about safeguarding our future. And in a country where millions depend on the land for their survival, we cannot afford to get this wrong.

The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.

The writer is a social development professional based in Umerkot Sindh. He can be contacted on anrahimoo@gmail.com.