LIMATE change is already taking its toll on Pakistan’s farm sector. Crop yields are falling, livestock productivity is declining, fertile land is becoming uncultivable, and food insecurity is rising. Alongside, rural incomes are shrinking, and both cash and food poverty are increasing. It is against this backdrop that a new UN assessment Extreme Heat and Agriculture by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Meteorological Organisation has sought to underscore the rapid erosion of farm productivity, especially in rain-fed regions, and its impact on rural households owing to rising temperatures across the country. The findings are particularly worrying for Punjab, where frequent and severe heatwaves are disrupting rural livelihoods. Fruit productivity in the province’s highrainfall areas has halved. Livestock is suffering, with heat stress reducing milk production and increasing the incidence of diseases among small ruminants. The consequences are not confined to farms. Lower output means reduced incomes for farming households, with extreme temperatures accelerating the spoilage of vegetables, dairy products, and other perishables. Families earn and eat less. Gender inequality deepens the problem. Rural women, who undertake considerable agricultural and household work, face prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures. Pregnant and lactating women are particularly vulnerable, with a sharp increase in the risk of premature births during severe heatwaves.
However, climate adaptation is yet to find a place in our agricultural policies. The effects of rising temperatures on the sector that sustains two-thirds of the population cannot be mitigated with input subsidies, crop support prices, or procurement targets. Farmers need heat-resistant crop varieties, better water management technology, and access to modern farming machinery. Investment in cold storage, efficient supply chains and public and livestock health services is equally important.
Agricultural research requires greater private investment and better human resources. Without tweaking policies to respond to the climate challenge, repeated heatwaves will erode productivity, making farming less viable for smallholders. The problem crosses the border. Both sides of Punjab face the same climate challenges, requiring Pakistan and India to cooperate on farm resilience. Heat is already cutting into rural incomes and into what families can afford to eat. Farm policies that ignore it will fail the people they are meant to support.