Imagine your daily meals threatened by unpredictable floods and scorching droughts— that's the harsh reality facing Pakistan's farmers right now, and it's time we face the urgent truth about how our agriculture is entangled in the climate crisis.
Pakistan's farming industry is caught in a tough spot: it's suffering greatly from climate change while also fueling it. Think about the devastating floods that have ravaged Sindh or the endless dry periods hitting Balochistan hard—these are just some of the ways our rural communities are bearing the brunt of a warming world every single day. At the same time, everyday practices in agriculture, like applying fertilizers and pesticides, the methane released by livestock (that's a potent greenhouse gas produced during digestion in cows and other animals), and the ongoing degradation of our soils, are adding to Pakistan's share of global emissions. It's a cycle that's hard to break, but understanding it is the first step toward change.
The updated Pakistan Climate Change Policy from 2021 builds on the earlier 2012 version and smartly puts a spotlight on adaptation strategies. For instance, it calls for creating crop varieties that can withstand extreme heat, breeding livestock that's more resilient to changing conditions, and using digital tools like computer simulations to forecast how climate shifts might affect harvests. These steps are crucial for helping farmers handle the immediate dangers they face, almost like building stronger defenses against a storm that's already here. But here's the catch—and this is the part most people miss: relying solely on adaptation has a big flaw. It treats the symptoms but doesn't tackle the root cause of the problem.
To truly protect our farming heritage and meet the promises Pakistan has made on the world stage for fighting climate change, we need to push our policies further. It's time to go beyond just adapting and dive into mitigation—proactive steps that cut down on emissions and help restore the natural ability of our lands to store carbon, like turning soil into a helpful ally rather than a victim.
On a positive note, the 2021 policy does outline some encouraging ideas, such as smarter ways to handle fertilizers to reduce waste, setting up biogas systems that capture methane from animal waste for energy, developing better cattle breeds that produce less gas, and techniques to manage methane in rice fields (where flooded paddies create ideal conditions for this gas to form). These approaches do offer real benefits in lowering emissions. However, at their core, they're mostly about making small tweaks to boost efficiency in the current system of large-scale, industrial farming—which relies heavily on chemicals and machines.
And this is where it gets controversial: sticking to these 'efficiency upgrades' might actually lock us into a model that's not sustainable long-term, ignoring the bigger picture of transforming how we farm altogether.
What's truly absent from the policy is a bold, forward-thinking plan—a shift from farming that's dominated by single-crop fields doused in chemicals and powered by fossil fuels to one that's more in tune with nature, focused on regeneration, and designed to keep carbon levels low. Instead of just promoting 'improved management techniques' or fancy new animal breeds, we should be building up local strengths that foster true resilience and lasting sustainability, without always leaning on costly imports or external tech.
If Pakistan wants to get serious about reducing emissions in agriculture, putting agroecology front and center is essential. Now, for those new to this, agroecology isn't simply about going organic or cutting back on inputs—it's a holistic way of thinking and acting that blends science, ecology, and community involvement. It means weaving natural processes into daily farming, like recycling nutrients through crop rotations, boosting the variety of plants and insects to create balanced ecosystems, healing worn-out soils over time, and ditching reliance on synthetic chemicals altogether. Picture a farm where waste from one area feeds another, wildlife thrives, and the land gets richer each year—that's agroecology in action.
Farms built on agroecological principles release far less methane and nitrous oxide (another harmful gas from fertilizers), pull more carbon into the soil to lock it away safely, and make much better use of energy resources, often through simple, on-site solutions like solar-powered tools. Even better, it lifts up small-scale farmers and women in rural areas—who are often the backbone of our food production—by giving them the skills, tools, and group support they need, rather than tying them to pricey corporate products.
Nations like India, with its community-led organic farming movements; Brazil, experimenting with integrated crop-livestock systems; and Kenya, promoting diverse, resilient seed varieties, are already tying agroecological changes directly to their goals for curbing climate impacts. Pakistan has the potential to follow suit, but it demands a gutsy overhaul of our policies. Unfortunately, the current framework falls short by not fully appreciating soil as a powerful carbon storage unit—think of it like a natural bank for excess CO2—and it lacks clear ways to track or incentivize building up that storage through practices like adding organic matter. It also skips over key tools like agroforestry (planting trees alongside crops for shade, fruit, and carbon capture), composting (turning farm waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments), and cover crops (plants grown specifically to protect and enrich the ground between main harvests), all of which can slash emissions while making fields more productive.
What's more, by pushing 'high-yield' varieties and so-called 'climate-smart' gadgets, the policy might unintentionally push aside the wisdom passed down through generations in indigenous practices and the rich diversity of local seeds—elements that are crucial for maintaining ecological harmony and bouncing back from shocks. For true progress, we need a unified approach where policies on climate, farming, protecting nature's variety, and boosting rural communities all align seamlessly, instead of operating in isolated bubbles.
A real strategy for cutting agricultural emissions in Pakistan could look like this:
— Launching a nationwide effort to shift toward agroecology, backed by hands-on training programs, cutting-edge research, and financial perks to get farmers on board.
— Setting specific goals to cut back on man-made fertilizers and pesticides, swapping them out for homegrown options like composting and biological fertilizers made from natural sources.
— Rolling out widespread programs for agroforestry and cover cropping to ramp up the land's capacity to absorb and hold carbon.
— Championing innovations driven by farmers themselves, strengthening community-based seed saving and sharing, and ensuring soil care practices include everyone, with a focus on women's roles.
— Opening up streams of climate funding specifically for projects that promote farming with minimal emissions.
This kind of change wouldn't just help lower our carbon footprint; it would breathe new life into countryside economies by creating jobs and markets for sustainable goods, bring back lost biodiversity (like pollinators and beneficial insects), and secure our right to control our own food production for years ahead. It's clear: Pakistan's climate policy has to evolve past mere adaptation and minor tweaks, embracing instead a dream of renewing our ecosystems and actively reducing carbon. Agroecology lights the way—it's practical for our unique landscapes, backed by solid evidence, and fits perfectly with the worldwide call to combat climate change.
The fate of how we grow and share our food—and ultimately, our shared planet—hinges on our willingness to make that leap with boldness today. But here's a thought to stir things up: is prioritizing industrial efficiency over traditional, earth-friendly methods really the smart choice, or are we risking our farmers' futures for short-term gains? What do you think—should Pakistan lead with agroecology, or stick to the status quo? Share your views in the comments; I'd love to hear if you agree or have a different take.
The writer is an educationist, agroecologist, and development activist.
nasira@khoj.edu.pk
Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2025
