ISLAMABAD: Effects of climate change have shrunk Pakistan’s wheat production over the last few years, highlighting the need for research to develop climate-resilient seed varieties for better yields.
Wheat, which is a major food crop of Pakistan, is used in a variety of ways to make byproducts. Pakistan used to be among the top 10 wheat-producing countries till recently. However, climate change has impacted the wheat productivity due to a variety of factors such as fluctuation in rainfall patterns, rise in temperatures and inadequate water availability.
Talking about the factors contributing to low productivity, a senior scientific officer of the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC) told WealthPK on condition of anonymity that heat stress was the biggest factor contributing to low wheat yield. “Wheat production is affected due to terminal heat stress caused by heat temperature.”
“March and April is the grain-filling time for wheat, but heat stress has shortened the grain-filling phase, resulting in low grain yield. An unusually low rainfall in February and March also reduced production, forcing the government to import wheat to meet the domestic need,” he said.
The NARC official further said that last year Pakistan had seen a bumper crop due to normal rainfall and moderate temperature.
However, during 2021-22, area under wheat cultivation decreased to 8,976 hectares (2.1%) against last year’s 9,168 hectares. As a result, the production of wheat declined to 26.394 million tonnes (3.9%) compared to 27.464 million tonnes last year.
The NARC scientist said, “To overcome these challenges, Pakistan will have to develop climate-resilient varieties of seeds that can withstand the adverse effects of climate change, water shortages and extreme temperatures.”
“Another solution is ensuring availability of inputs like good quality fertilizers and weedicides to growers, and managing water use. It’s the government’s responsibility to ensure on-time availability of inputs to farmers,” he stressed.
The NARC scientist emphasised that the agriculture department should ensure availability of quality seeds to farmers. “We cannot control climate but we can do better management to fight its effects,” he added.
“The government should give subsidies to farmers on purchase of fertilizers and other inputs. –INP
The country’s irrigation and canal systems need a big overhaul to prevent water losses. Besides, the government should also promote smart irrigation systems among farmers.”
Keeping in view the adverse effects of climate change on crops in Pakistan, the government should introduce the concept of climate-smart agriculture by focusing more on research and development.
Climate change has already taken a heavy toll on Pakistan’s agriculture, and to prevent it from causing further damage, Pakistan would have to come up with innovative ways and means to save the livelihoods of millions of people associated with agriculture.
Learning from Chinese experience and seeking its cooperation would be handy for Pakistan to not only reduce the adverse impact of climate change on its agriculture production but also to tap the sector’s full potential for food security and higher farmers’ incomes.
