Resource information
This study, Indus basin of Pakistan: the
impacts of climate risks on water and agriculture was
undertaken at a pivotal time in the region. The weak summer
monsoon in 2009 created drought conditions throughout the
country. This followed an already tenuous situation for many
rural households faced with high fuel and fertilizer costs
and the impacts of rising global food prices. Then
catastrophic monsoon flooding in 2010 affected over 20
million people, devastating their housing, infrastructure,
and crops. Damages from this single flood event were
estimated at US dollar 10 billion, half of which were losses
in the agriculture sector. Notwithstanding the debate as to
whether these observed extremes are evidence of climate
change, an investigation is needed regarding the extent to
which the country is resilient to these shocks. It is thus
timely, if not critical, to focus on climate risks for
water, agriculture, and food security in the Indus basin of Pakistan.
