Climate change and food security are the two most important concerns that Pakistan is experiencing.
Pakistan’s dependence on agriculture accounts for around 24% of its GDP. More than 65% of people in our
country directly rely on agriculture for their living. The agriculture sector is dealing with a number of issues
right now, some of which include crop diseases, water scarcity, land shrinkage, and climate change. Pakistan
is not an exception when it comes to the urgency of the global issue of climate change. The country is
particularly vulnerable to climate change’s effects, including as rising sea levels, floods, droughts, and extreme
weather events. The situation is grim in Pakistan, a country that directly hit by global climate change in the
shape of higher temperatures, melting of glaciers and catastrophic floods. We witnessed the severest effects
of climate change, with unprecedented floods in 2022.
Increasing agricultural productivity necessitates the adoption of sustainable agriculture, which refers to the
efficient production of safe, high-quality agricultural products while protecting and improving the natural
environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers, agricultural workforce, and local communities,
and safeguarding the health and welfare of all species.
The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services is a premier Institute and exclusive learning seat for
Members of Parliament from across the country. As the policy makers are confronted with the nexus of
challenges of declining productivity, increasing food insecurity and climate change, the Parliamentary
Committees are eager to take well-researched and data-driven deliberations into policy discussions and
expedite their translation in policy measures. This policy dialogue on Climate Smart Agriculture has been
organized to bring policy makers, academia, multilateral partners and private sector at one forum, discuss the
challenges being confronted by the stakeholders and deliberate potential solutions to overcome these
challenges. The recommendations of the session will be presented in relevant Parliamentary Committees to
bring the issue in the consideration of policy makers and provide them assistance in highlighting the matter of
public concern on the floor of the Parliament.
We are pleased to present proceedings of the policy dialogue for a happy reading. The Institute recognizes the
support of its partner Syngenta Pakistan for holding this roundtable discussion on March 07, 2023.
Muhammad Anwar
Executive Director,
Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services