Farmers warn of climate change risks, food security challenges

By MULTAN: Farmers' representatives called for timely measures to safeguard country's food security amid growing climate change challenges and uncertain weather patterns, warning that changing climatic conditions could affect wheat production and other major crops in the coming agricultural season. Speaking at press conference here on Saturday, Pakistan Kissan Ittehad President, Khalid Mahmood Khokhar and All Pakistan Kissan Foundation Chairman Syed Mahmood-ul-Haq Bukhari highlighted the need for effective agricultural planning, timely policy decisions and better returns for growers to sustain food production amid increasing climate-related uncertainties. Khalid Mahmood Khokhar said climate change was affecting agriculture worldwide and warned that unpredictable weather conditions could pose additional challenges for Pakistan's farming sector. He stressed the need to encourage maximum possible wheat cultivation and ensure timely announcement of the wheat policy to help farmers make informed decisions ahead of the sowing season. Referring to the possibility of a Super El Nino and its potential implications for weather patterns, he emphasized the importance of preparedness and coordinated planning to minimize risks to agricultural production and food security. He said South Punjab played a significant role in the country's agricultural economy, contributing substantially to the production of mangoes, cotton, wheat, rice, maize and dates. He described the region's farmers as key contributors to Pakistan's food security and called for policies that could strengthen their capacity to cope with changing weather conditions. Khokhar also highlighted concerns over water availability, claiming that farmers were receiving around 25 percent less water than the previous year. He said efficient water management, timely availability of agricultural inputs and appropriate crop pricing were essential to maintaining productivity and protecting growers' livelihoods. He further called for an independent price commission to help determine crop prices in a manner that adequately reflected production costs and farmers' efforts. He also urged the authorities to consider the proposal of the National Assembly's Standing Committee regarding a wheat support price of Rs.5000 per maund. The farmers' leader said agricultural planning required close coordination among relevant institutions, particularly in view of climate-related risks, water constraints and changing market conditions. He also expressed concern over the decline in cotton production, saying that the textile and ginning sectors were facing challenges. He also called for new provinces to address issues amicably. Speaking on the occasion, Syed Mahmood-ul-Haq Bukhari said farmers faced considerable uncertainty after sowing their crops, particularly regarding market prices and the availability of supportive policies. He urged the authorities to facilitate the timely export of surplus sugar and take appropriate measures to address challenges facing wheat and sugarcane growers. Bukhari said climate-related uncertainties made it increasingly important to adopt a coordinated approach to agricultural planning and ensure that farmers received fair returns for their produce.