Climate and food security

United Nations agencies dealing with climate change and food security have issued an SOS, detailing Pakistan's vulnerability on these counts. In a recent assessment on "Extreme Heat and Agriculture" by the FAO and WMO, it says that the agrarian pastures of Punjab are gradually turning into drought zones, contributing to a decline in yields per acre of up to 50%. Climatic degradation, leading to intolerable heat stress, is proving fatal to livestock, and there is a drastic cut in milk output too. Likewise, crop, fruit and vegetable production is in decline as harsh weather conditions are obstructing normal output as well as causing these perishable goods to spoil well before the end of their shelf life.

This is an evolving crisis that is not restricted to a season or two. Pre-monsoon rains and rising temperatures even during normally cooler months, along with floods due to melting glaciers, are primarily responsible for the environmental mess. The same is true of prolonged smog that literally destroys standing crops, besides posing serious health risks. Thus, these worsening soil and air conditions are taking a toll on food availability and instantly driving up market prices. It is a common observation that prices of essential commodities such as wheat, rice, pulses and vegetables have skyrocketed in recent years, pushing families dependent on crop cultivation or meagre salaries into financial hardship in terms of their ability to purchase basic food staples.

The report rightly goes on to highlight the plight of women in rural areas who are burdened by both farm labour and domestic responsibilities. This is reducing their nutritional intake, leading to health risks. The risk of preterm birth has reportedly risen by 26% during severe weather conditions, and, to make matters worse, around 10 million children suffer from stunting in the country. It is a pity that Pakistan is among the less developed economies where more than 10 million people are malnourished owing to poverty, where 56% of the population lives on less than $3 a day and another 10.6 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.