Countering change

The federal minister for National Food Security and Research has stressed for collective efforts to tackle adverse effects of climate change on water resources and agriculture. He added that global temperature has already increased by one degree Celsius between 1961 and 2016 and future projections depict alarming conditions. Pakistan is among the top 10 most vulnerable countries which are sensitive to both increases in temperature and changes in precipitation patterns. Rising temperatures would particularly alter bio-physical relationships for crops, livestock and forests. It merits a mention that no other sector is more vulnerable to climate change than agriculture as more than 50 percent of the country’s population is directly or indirectly dependent on agricultural activities.

It is heartening to note that the government was committed to adapt agriculture in various ways by using state-of-the-art climate smart technologies, through sustainable natural resource management, better integrated water resource management, and by creating climate resilient communities. All these initiatives will lead to reduced poverty and enhance food security at all levels. The initiatives of PM’s Pakistan Greening and Zero Hunger Programmes will be the most pertinent initiatives in this regard. In view of the above, there is a strong need that all shareholders, including farmers’ representatives, NGOs and the civil society shall contribute and join hands with the government to address the challenges of climate change.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar