Pakistan's agriculture sector faces an escalating crisis, with extreme heat, hydrological volatility, and a rapidly growing population converging to intensify food insecurity across the country, according to a report in The Friday Times. The analysis underscores an urgent need for the modernisation of Pakistan's farming systems to avert a deepening humanitarian challenge.

Climate Shocks Battering Farmland

Pakistan contributes roughly one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet remains disproportionately exposed to the consequences of climate change. During the 2025 monsoon season, more than 1.3 million hectares of farmland were submerged, causing widespread damage to rice, cotton, and sugarcane crops. Agricultural losses from those floods were estimated at $1.23 billion, according to The Friday Times.

Extreme heat attributed to climate change has compounded the problem by driving increased hydrological volatility — depleting water tables while simultaneously triggering destructive flood events. Around 22,800 farm animals perished during the 2025 floods alone, dealing a severe blow to rural livelihoods and pushing many households deeper into economic distress.

Population Pressure Worsening Food Security

Amna Ejaz Rafi, writing in The Friday Times, noted that Pakistan's current population of 240 million, growing at a rate of 2.4 per cent annually, is compounding the food security challenge. 'Extreme heat in some parts of the country, attributed to climate change, has also contributed to increased hydrological volatility. As a result, crops are being affected while water levels continue to decline. All these factors are contributing to food insecurity. Pakistan's population of 240 million, growing at a rate of 2.4 per cent, further aggravates the challenge of food insecurity,' she wrote.

By 2050, Pakistan's population is projected to reach 300 million. During fiscal year 2025, the country's food import bill stood at $8 billion, placing significant additional strain on already-stressed foreign exchange reserves.

Water Crisis Reaches Critical Levels in Balochistan

The water scarcity problem has taken a particularly acute form in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province. In July, groundwater levels in the city dropped to dangerously low levels, while official supplies from the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) were either completely halted or severely curtailed across many residential areas, according to Pakistani daily The Express Tribune.

Neighbourhoods including Sariab, Sirki Road, Samungli Road, Jinnah Town, Qambarani Road, Satellite Town, Sabzal Road, and Khayaban-e-Agha were among the worst affected. Elderly residents, women, and children were reportedly compelled to walk long distances on foot to fetch water. Many households had received no tap water for six months, and residents told The Express Tribune that complaints to authorities yielded only verbal assurances without resolution.

Structural Reforms Needed: Dams, Agriculture Modernisation

Experts cited in the report stress that Pakistan must construct new dams to capture and store rainwater for use during the dry winter months. This comes amid a broader call to modernise the agricultural sector — upgrading irrigation systems, adopting climate-resilient crop varieties, and improving rural infrastructure — to reduce dependence on costly food imports and buffer the country against future climate shocks.

With the twin pressures of climate vulnerability and rapid demographic growth showing no sign of easing, Pakistan's window to implement structural agricultural reform is narrowing by the year.