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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been ranked 14th among countries facing severe water scarcity, highlighting a critical threat to agriculture, food security and the national economy.
This has been stated in a research report issued by Ampic Strategies titled “Sustainable agriculture in Pakistan: can Pakistan meet its future food requirements?”
The report states that attributing Pakistan’s agricultural crisis solely to climate change is misleading, as decades of weak governance and policy failures also play a significant role. Inefficient irrigation systems, declining soil fertility, excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, continuous monocropping and poor policy implementation have intensified the impacts of floods, droughts and heatwaves.
Agriculture is described as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, contributing around 24 per cent to GDP and providing employment to more than 37 per cent of the workforce. It also supports the food and livelihood needs of over 240 million people, yet the sector is currently under severe pressure.
