Water Shortage Threatens Wheat Production as Pakistan Faces Severe Rabi Season Deficit
ISLAMABAD:Pakistan is facing the risk of a decline in wheat production due to an anticipated shortage of water during the upcoming Rabi season.
The country is expected to face a water shortage of more than 25 percent during the Rabi season, with the shortfall likely to be distributed among the provinces that share the available water resources.
The water requirement for Rabi crops has been estimated at around 38 million acre-feet, while only approximately 22 million acre-feet is expected to be available, highlighting a significant gap between demand and supply.
An important meeting of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) is expected to be held later this week to review the water availability situation and determine the distribution of available supplies among the provinces.
Experts have attributed the worsening water crisis to delays in the construction of major water reservoirs, a continued decline in rainfall and what they describe as increasing Indian water-related actions.
The potential shortage has raised concerns over the availability of water for wheat cultivation, which could affect overall production if the situation persists.
Pakistan is also considered among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Experts say declining rainfall and changing weather patterns are further intensifying the country’s water-related challenges.
