Global Rice News

Since Pakistan has significant variations in rainfall and temperature, therefore, its agriculture is relying heavily on river supplies. If there is a significant drop in river supplies at the critical stage of a crop it could negatively affect productivity.

During the last two decades, Pakistan has suffered significant socio-economic loss due to climate-water-related extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and unexpected precipitation. These events are mostly water-driven resulting in a massive impact on almost all sectors of the economy. The Global Climate Risk Report (GCRP) 2021 has reported that Pakistan has witnessed over 173 extreme weather events, which have resulted in over 10,000 fatalities (about 500/ year) and economic loss amounting to USD 75 billion (about 3.8 billion USD/ year). Climate change has also impacted the overall surface water availability and irrigation service delivery in Pakistan. Water scarcity is increasing, land productivity is decreasing and climate change is worsening these threats.

The country is classified into fourteen agroecological zones. While 75 percent of Pakistan’s land area consists of arid zones, a comparatively small part has a humid climate. Climate vulnerability hot spots in Pakistan include arid or semi-arid areas in Sindh, Baluchistan and Punjab; flood-prone areas in Sindh, Baluchistan and Punjab; mountainous areas in KP, AJK, GB and parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Changing climate has threatened the productivity of the agriculture sector making it vulnerable economically, socially and in cultural perspective. Crop simulation model-based studies by Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)depict that there are significant reductions in wheat, rice, and maize yields in the arid, semi-arid and rain-fed areas of Pakistan under various scenarios by the mid and end of the century.

Source: https://www.globalvillagespace.com/agriculture-growth-in-the-wake-of-climate-change/