Rain fed areas more vulnerable to climate change

Islamabad: Experts have said that climate change has brought about changes in rain pattern that would have tremendous impact on the livelihoods of communities and can result in drought and mass migration They said that rain-fed areas are more vulnerable to climate change, and stressed upon to adopt the recommendations of the research carried out in rain-fed areas by Climate Change Centre so that the negative impacts are minimised.

The experts expressed these views in a workshop organised by Climate Change Centre of University of Agriculture Peshawar in collaboration with Norwegian Organisation (NCA). Prof Dr Tahir Sarwar informed that due to climate change rain patterns are changing and there is an increase in the temperature due to global warming.

Both factors are harming the productive capacity of crops and livestock. Further, the rain water is mostly run off and there are hardly any efforts to store or conserve this water for use to irrigate crops, provision for livestock and meeting other water requirements.

There is an urgent need to store and conserve rainwater to minimize impact of climate change on productivity of agriculture, livestock and human beings, he added. He further stated that collaboration with NCA is one of such efforts which helped investigate impacts of Climate change on rain patterns.