KARACHI  - Environmentalists have urged farmers as well as policy makers to acknowledge relevance of “climate change” and its impact on agriculture sector.
Talking to APP on Sunday they said agriculture sector, contributing 24pc of the total GDP, is exposed to serious threat due to fast changing climatic conditions.
“We have to remember that by 2040 the global temperature is predicted to surge by three degrees while till end of the current century it may rise by five to six degrees,” said Dr. Ali Hamza. The environmentalist said rainfall in the region of South Asia is estimated to shrink markedly, however, at times there may be chances of extraordinarily heavy rains.
In both the conditions there would be loss for cultivators as some of them will experience almost drought like conditions, with significantly reduced agricultural products.  There will also be many who may witness destruction of their crops due to floods caused by heavy rains and melting glaciers on the mountains.
“According t available model of climate change the southern parts of the country may witness a 15% to 20% decline in their agricultural output,” said Asghar Ali.
The two experts warned that crops peculiar to Pakistan as wheat, rice and sugarcane would register a significant decline due to staggering water availability.
“Time is running short and we must evolve a realistic approach to address the threat,” said Dr. Hamza.
The environmentalists urging for alternative crop cultivation, particularly referred to sugarcane which is a water intensive crop and an inappropriate choice for the Pakistani cultivators.  They also recommended procurement of necessary gadgets for timely prediction of natural calamity besides immediate focus on developing seeds that may be drought resistant.
“Urgent measures are required to sensitize and motivate our farmers and cultivators so that they may face the challenges with due pragmatism,” they said.