By Arsalan Ali ISLAMABAD, May 16 (INP WealthPK): Pakistan needs urgent steps to fight off the damaging effects of climate change on its crops’ production by adopting climate-resilient practices in the agriculture sector. Dr. Akbar Khan, Research Officer at the Water Management and High-Efficiency Irrigation System, told WealthPK that environmental degradation has a direct impact on the agricultural productivity of crops. “As each biological being is connected to some ecosystem, degradation in that ecosystem will lead to biological loss,” he added. Dr. Akbar said the waste coming out from the sugarcane industry deteriorates the land nearby it, and leads to soil degradation. “Pakistan's major crop yield is low in comparison to other developing countries, and one of the major factors is soil degradation,” he said. The official said soil is mainly degrading due to environmental factors. He said approximately 15 million hectares of Pakistan’s agricultural land is degraded to environmental factors such as waterlogging, poor management practices, and other anthropogenic activities. Dr. Akbar said agriculture is the only sector that is entirely dependent on the quality of natural resources for sustaining higher productivity. He said floods and soil erosion have become an everyday challenge these days due to climate change. He said disturbed weather patterns and increasing temperatures are causing crop failure and decreasing productivity which together are posing grave food security issues. “Artificial technology has revolutionized the agriculture sector,” Dr. Akbar said, adding that adopting it will help fight against climate change impacts. “Its usage will alert the farmers to surrounding weather changes and also reduce their physical efforts,” he said. It is estimated that 24 billion tonnes of fertile soil is lost each year, primarily as a result of unsustainable agricultural practices. If current trends continue, 95% of the earth's land areas could be degraded by 2050, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Constant rise in temperatures and changing patterns in monsoon rainfall are causing severe floods and extensive droughts, adversely affecting the agriculture sector’s productivity in Pakistan. The rising temperatures have also caused fast depletion of the frozen water reservoirs in the Tibetan and Himalayan glaciers, causing water shortages in the country. Dr. Akbar stated that Pakistan has not achieved the wheat target this year due to less rain than required. He said drought and land degradation are the major issues faced by farmers due to weather changes. Land degradation is one of the world's most significant environmental problems, and it is worsening at an alarming rate unless immediate action is taken. Globally, approximately 25% of total land area has been degraded. Land degradation releases soil carbon and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, making it one of the most significant contributors to climate change. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), from 1960 to 1997, the average change in annual temperature was negative, but the temperature increased exponentially from 1997 onwards. In recent years, Pakistan has been experiencing the intensity of heat shock/stress, especially during the summer season, impacting the crops’ output. According to Pakistan Economic Survey 2021, the cotton crop has been witnessing a decreased production during the last two decades due to climate change. Total cotton production in 2000 was 1.83 million tonnes, which decreased to 1.51 million tonnes in 2021. In irrigated as well as spate farming systems, crops are exceedingly sensitive to water quantity and temperature fluctuations. It is predicted that agricultural production will decrease by around 8-10% by 2040 due to a rise in temperature. To rebuild Pakistan's resilient and sustainable agriculture sector, policymakers and government officials must focus on the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture. Farmers should use the latest technology in agriculture sector to increase productivity to meet the growing population's needs.