WATER scarcity and climate change have emerged as two of the greatest threats to Pakistan’s food security. The challenge is not simply a shortage of water; it is the combined impact of rapid population growth, inefficient irrigation, groundwater depletion, changing rainfall patterns, floods, droughts, heatwaves and weak water governance. Agriculture consumes nearly all of Pakistan’s available freshwater, while groundwater is being extracted at unsustainable rates in many farming regions. Unless these trends are reversed, per capita water availability will continue to decline as the country’s population keeps growing.

For an economy heavily dependent on agriculture, water is far more than an environmental issue. It is fundamental to economic growth, social stability and national security. Ironically, Pakistan experiences both water abundance and water scarcity. During the monsoon season, enormous quantities of water arrive in the form of destructive floods that damage crops, livestock, homes and infrastructure. Yet, when farmers need water most for sowing and harvesting, they frequently face severe shortages. Reduced irrigation directly affects the production of wheat, rice, cotton, maize, sugarcane, fruit and vegetable, leading to lower farm incomes, food inflation and greater dependence on imports.

The latest Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) assessments illustrate this vulnerability. While acute food insecurity improved between April and July 2025 because of favourable agricultural conditions, wheat flour prices remained close to record high in January 2026. This demonstrates that food security cannot be measured merely by the quantity of wheat or rice produced in a particular year. It must also be assessed in terms........

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