Daily Times

As one of the most agriculture-dependent countries, Pakistan is in no shape to brave even a minute change in climate patterns. Even a tiny tilt on the temperature gauge sends us scampering; worried about another collision with disrupted food chains. Ensuring that our lands receive their due share of the water supply is just as crucial, so when the Indus River System Authority rang shrill alarm bells over Pakistan facing an overwhelming 30 per cent water shortage at the start of the Kharif season, it is hoped that the authorities would sit up straight and take warnings seriously.

Over the past few decades, Pakistan has witnessed a noticeable increase in temperatures and irregular rainfall patterns. These changes have adversely affected crop growth cycles, leading to decreased productivity and economic losses for farmers. Dried-up farmlands mean a shambolic breakdown of the traditional agricultural practices that rely on bais irrigation and natural conditions. Meanwhile, steroid-fuelled monsoons also appear ready to unleash their fury. Two years ago, the country witnessed floods of biblical proportions, feared to have been the tenth most expensive climate disaster in the last decade. Wiping out 1.7 million hectares of agricultural land, it had pushed millions of rural households into abject poverty. Past horrors scream caution well before any other freak event comes roaring, and therefore, the situation demands unwavering attention.

Famers, who form the backbone of our economy and sustenance, cannot be forced to fend for water by themselves. Although enough time has been wasted already, governing boards should come up with revolutionised water management practices to ensure sustainable irrigation for use in agriculture on top of provision for livestock.

Experts have often called for a paradigm shift in the priorities to move away from water-intensive crops. Fast-emerging climatic challenges mean that we will have to come up with new crop varieties and play with cropland mapping. Those who have the resources or are in tune with the changing realities have already turned towards adaptation strategies including drip irrigation and greenhouse farming. However, a small farmer can only avail such options if his government supports him with an infrastructural framework. We are hurtling towards a catastrophe and the signs are all around us.

The demand for wheat remains unmet, and production targets for several crops (mango being the most significant) have been missed. This is not a situation we can afford to ignore any longer. The clock is ticking, and we must act with urgency and determination to avert the impending doom. *