Impact of Climate Change on Water Availability for Agriculture in Pakistan

Abstract

This paper attempts to study the impacts of climate change on the water availability for agriculture of Pakistan. Water is crucial to be used in agriculture in all agro-climatic regions of Pakistan which depends upon irrigation because the major part of the country lies in arid to semi-arid climate. The climate change has decreased snow and ice in the Himalayas region which reduces water in the river basin of the Indus River and its tributaries. In this study, secondary data has been used to assess impacts of climate change on water availability for Pakistan’s agriculture. Results show that there is remarkable decline in the water in major rivers in Pakistan which are fed by the glaciers and rainfall from Monsoons. With the implications of water harvesting and watershed management schemes the threat of decrease water availability can be minimized to avert any economic loss and food security in Pakistan.