Pakistan must develop a workable strategy regarding negative effects of climate change on agricultural productivity, as well as any related major problems, and opportunities.
The need to maximise climate-smart and resilient agricultural practices and technology for sustainable productivity is a response to the worst-case scenarios of climate change, according to Shahzad Ali Malik, chairman of the Pakistan Hitech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA).
He added that agricultural production is threatened by climate change in areas of food insecurity, particularly in Asia.
Speaking to a group of progressive farmers today, Momin Ali stated that the farmers’ way of life has been negatively impacted by a variety of climate-driven extremes, such as drought, heat waves, irregular and intense rainfall patterns, storms, floods, and emerging insect pests.
While there is variability in climatic patterns for the prediction of climate extremes, he claimed that future climate predictions indicated a significant increase in temperature and erratic rainfall with higher intensity. In Pakistan, a 2.8°C increase in maximum temperature and a 2.2°C increase in minimum temperature is predicted for the middle of the century (2040-2069).
As a result, he said, a case study was conducted to quantify the effects of climate change on rice and wheat crops and to develop adaptation strategies for the rice-wheat cropping system during the middle of the century (2040–2069).
Five climate models were used in a multidisciplinary approach to quantify the negative effects of climate change on farmer fields. One model projected yield reductions of 15.2% in rice and 14.1% in wheat, while another predicted yield reductions of 17.2% in rice and 12% in wheat.
Under climate change scenarios, adaptation technology has the potential to increase the overall productivity and profitability of the rice-wheat cropping system by modifying crop management practises like sowing time and density, nitrogen application, and irrigation application.
In order to ensure food security in Asia, according to Shahzad Ali Malik, Pakistan must develop a workable strategy regarding the negative effects of climate change on agricultural productivity, as well as any related major problems, difficulties, and opportunities.
The following opportunities, according to him, have the potential to lessen the effects of climate change: resilient agricultural practices, changing the sowing time and planting density of crops; crop rotation with legumes; agroforestry; mixed livestock systems; climate resilient plants, livestock, and fish breeds; raising monogastric livestock; early warning and decision-support systems; carbon sequestration; climate, water, energy, and soil smart technologies; and biodiversity promotion.