- Advertisement -
PESHAWAR, Apr 23 (APP):The recent torrential rains and an unexpected hailstorms has affected standing wheat crops and fruit orchards in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, inflicting serious economic losses on local farmers already reeling from past climate disasters.
In the scenic yet climate change vulnerable valleys of Swat, Shangla, Malakand and Dir, fruit orchards have taken a significant hit by the torrential rains and hailstorms.
Meanwhile, in the low-lying areas of Nowshera, entire wheat fields lie submerged under rainwater, delaying the harvesting process and pushing farmers into yet another cycle of hardship.
Eighty-year-old Misal Khan, a seasoned wheat farmer from Dheri Ishaq village near the banks of River Kabul in Nowshera, was seen pumping out of rainwater from his wheat crop.
“The rainwater flooded all five acres of my wheat crop,” he said, as he and his three sons spent long hours pumping water out of their fields, desperate to begin harvesting before it’s too late.
Misal Khan’s plight echoes across neighboring villages in Nowshera and Charsadda, where farmers now look to the provincial government for assistance.
Many, like Misal, were also among the thousands affected by the catastrophic floods of 2022 and are still struggling to recover.
“We have pinned our hopes on the KP government for compensation and relief,” Misal said, his voice carrying both exhaustion and resolve.
According to officials from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agriculture Department, a comprehensive survey will soon be launched to assess the damage to crops and orchards. Relief efforts will follow based on the findings of this report.
“Areas located in riverbeds, especially in Nowshera and Charsadda, remain highly vulnerable to flash flooding,” said one official, citing the August 2022 floods that devastated local agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors.
Gulzar Rehman, former Conservator of Forests, emphasized that Pakistan’s growing vulnerability to climate change is placing its agriculture sector under increasing pressure.
“Pakistan is among the top ten countries most affected by climate change,” he said. “Extreme weather events like these are becoming more frequent and intense.”
Rehman stressed the urgency of sustainable solutions, including large-scale reforestation and water conservation projects.
“As the world’s eighth-largest wheat producer, Pakistan has the potential to boost its yield further—if we invest in water infrastructure and expand agriculture into the arid lands of erstwhile FATA and the southern districts.”
For farmers like Misal Khan, however, the concerns remain more immediate. His eyes are set not on national rankings, but on drying fields, a salvaged harvest, and the hope that this season won’t end in yet another loss.