DERA ISMAIL KHAN    -   Dera Ismail Khan District has faced catastrophic floods, droughts, and cyclones in recent years that have killed and displaced thousands, destroyed livelihoods, and damaged infrastructure. Climate change raises the prospect that these and other natural hazards will increase in frequency and severity in the coming decades, making the district one of the country’s most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Climatic changes are expected to have wide-ranging impacts on the district, with reduced agricultural productivity, increased variability of water availability, increased soil erosion along the Indus River, and a higher frequency of extreme climatic events, said Abdul Haleem Baloch, an agricultural expert. Addressing these risks requires mainstreaming climate change into national strategy and policy and making climate-smart investments in infrastructure, businesses, and skills.

Adapting to these impacts may include developing crop varieties with greater heat and drought tolerance, modernizing irrigation infrastructure, employing water-saving technologies, integrated watershed management, reforestation of catchment areas, and constructing additional water storage. Other measures include diversifying the energy mix, investing in renewable and small hydropower projects, improving weather forecasting and warning systems, retrofitting critical energy infrastructure, and constructing dikes or village protection walls.

Crops in DI Khan are categorized into two: Rabi and Kharif. Rabi crops are sown in autumn and harvested in spring, with wheat being the major Rabi crop. Kharif crops are sown in summer, including sugarcane, cotton, rice, and maize. Crops grown in both irrigated areas and those under spate farming systems are highly sensitive to the amount of water available and temperature variability. It is estimated that with a rise in temperature (+0.5°C–2°C), agricultural productivity will decrease by around 8%–10% by 2040.

The climate change has impacted and strained the agriculture sector in the region and has disrupted the entire pattern of cultivation. The sowing and harvesting of different crops, especially wheat, has changed considerably in terms of months depending on rain patterns and weather. The availability of water is dependent on rains, which have become either scarce or too heavy, impacting both rain-fed and flood-irrigated areas.

Moreover, the introduction of new seed varieties by the Agriculture Department to combat the effects of climate change has not been widely adopted by farmers due to a lack of knowledge and access. Additionally, recent flash floods from the Suleiman Ranges have raised the height of lands by 3-4 feet due to heavy silt deposits, requiring extensive land leveling for cultivation, which small farmers cannot afford.

Abdul Haleem Baloch added that immediate mobilization of seeds and tractors is needed. Supporting farmers with the Rabi crop will restore their damaged lives. Providing financial support, modern technology, and better infrastructure will improve the livelihoods of farmers, reduce poverty, and uplift rural communities. Strong and effective linkages between farmers and the Agriculture Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are essential to tackle these challenges and improve crop production in the district.