Climate Change and Implications for Agriculture Sector in Sindh Province of Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan is a highly vulnerable country in the world to climate change. It is ranked among the five most affected countries in the world. Sindh, among the provinces of Pakistan, is located in the southern part and it stands to suffer not only directly from local climatic and weather changes but also from the weather activities in the upstream Indus River and from the coastal environments. This study aims to examine the past trend and future projections of climate variables, assess the climate change impacts on agriculture sector, and recommend adaptation measures for Sindh. The results show that there is statistically significant trend in the temperature and precipitation in some parts of Sindh. The results from climate change projections show that the average annual temperature in Sindh by the end of 21st century may increase by 2 to 5 0C depending on various emission scenarios. Furthermore, the climate change in Sindh is likely to decrease productivity of agriculture and household income. The study recommends infrastructural development, technological change, institutional reforms, information sharing, and effective regulations to make agriculture sector and other related sectors resilient to climate change.