Dropping water levels imperil agriculture
Punjab was once known as the breadbasket of the country, due to the large-scale production of rabi crops like wheat and gram and kharif crops like rice and sugarcane for supply to the whole country. However, in recent times, this breadbasket has started losing its canes, as drought-like conditions endanger the agricultural sector.
Rana Amanat Ali, a farmer who cultivates wheat, expressed his grievances while speaking to the Express Tribune. “The wheat crop has dried up while its growth has also stopped. This is because the wheat stalk has started to emerge prematurely, which will lead to low yield and economic losses. At this point, we are helplessly looking at the sky, praying that it rains soon,” cried Ali.
On the other hand, Chaudhry Abdul Rehman, who owns an orange orchard, revealed that the lack of rainfall was badly affecting his orchards. “Due to water scarcity, the oranges are drying up while their taste is also being affected. If this situation persists, we will have to bear losses worth lakhs of rupees,” said Rehman.
"The underground water level in our area has been decreasing for many years. The water that comes out is salty and is harmful to the crops. Water scarcity is a big threat not only to the livelihoods of farmers but also to the economy of Pakistan. If the government and relevant agencies do not take immediate steps to control this crisis, food shortages and inflation may intensify. " said Haji Abdul Rehman, a farmer from Faisalabad.
As per information obtained from the National Drought Monitoring Center (NDMC) of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), from September 1, 2024, to January 15, 2025, 40 per cent less rainfall was recorded across Pakistan while 42 per cent less downpours were observed in the agricultural hub, Punjab. In Punjab, mild drought was observed in Attock, Chakwal, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Bhakkar, Leh, Multan, Rajanpur, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali and DG Khan in the Potohar region.
Chief Meteorologist, Mehr Sahebzad Khan confirmed that there was no chance of rain in the next several weeks. “While there may be rains in the upper regions, the situation is likely to remain the same in Punjab. The negative atmospheric indicators like El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are expected to persist during February and March. Forecasts of warmer than normal temperatures may support a transition from mild drought to moderate drought,” said Khan.
Agricultural experts claim that the production of wheat, rice, barley and chickpeas may be affected due to the lack of rainfall. According to Aamir Hayat Bhandara, an agronomist, the potato crop is very important and the reduction in its production will cause financial losses to the farmers. Water scarcity will also increase the cost of production while worsening food insecurity. Sometimes crops are damaged by floods, while at other times heavy rains, storms and hail storms destroy them. Now, production will be affected due to drought. Therefore, there is a need to adopt short and long-term policies to combat climate change,” implored Bhandara.
Former Director General of the Punjab Agriculture Department, Dr Anjum Ali Buttar claimed that the drought will become a concern if the temperature rises above 25 degrees Celsius, “In places where food and water are scarce, droughts will have profound effects. Especially on those crops which were planted in the first week of November. Lack of food and water at such a time will affect the health and yield of the crop. Almost 40 to 45 per cent of the gram crop will be affected apart from wheat,” said Buttar.