Pakistan unveils first drought action plan to tackle growing water stress

By Abdul Samad Tariq

ISLAMABAD, Mar 28 (APP): Pakistan has prepared its first National Drought Action Plan (NDAP) as the government warns that climate change is making droughts more frequent, intense and damaging for agriculture, water resources, food security and livelihoods.

Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Aisha Humera Moriani said that the country must move away from a reactive response model and adopt a proactive, risk-based approach to drought management.

Speaking at a national consultative workshop on the drought action plan held at a local hotel, Moriani said drought was no longer an occasional or distant threat, but an increasingly persistent challenge driven by rising temperatures, water stress and climate variability.

She said Pakistan was already among the countries facing high water risk and noted that past responses had largely remained focused on post-impact relief instead of preparedness and mitigation.

The federal secretary said there was a need for a coordinated institutional and policy framework that could convert available data into timely action on the ground.

She acknowledged the contribution of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and partner organisations in developing the Pakistan Drought Management System (PakDMS), which offers real-time monitoring and early warning capabilities.

“This is a significant step forward. However, data alone is not enough. We need systems that ensure timely data-informed and evidence-based decisions and on-ground implementation,” she said.

Moriani told participants that the climate change ministry, with the support of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and after extensive consultations, had developed the National Drought Action Plan.

According to her, the plan is built around key areas such as planning and resource mobilisation, governance and policy, early warning systems, local mitigation measures and capacity building.

The workshop was attended by representatives of federal and provincial governments, development partners and organisations including IWMI, PMD, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Participants discussed priority sectors, institutional roles and responsibilities, and a roadmap for short-, medium- and long-term action for implementation of the plan.

Moriani stressed that drought management required close coordination among federal and provincial governments, technical agencies and development partners.

“Drought is a cross-sectoral challenge and requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach,” she said.

She reiterated the ministry’s commitment to coordinating with key stakeholders, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), PMD and provincial departments, and urged participants to provide technical input for finalising a practical and nationally owned action plan.

Officials said the expected outcomes of the workshop included preparation of an operational framework document outlining institutional roles and coordination mechanisms, identification of priority sectors for drought risk reduction, and proposals for the establishment of a National Drought Management Committee and a Technical Advisory Committee.

A roadmap for implementation, including timelines and reporting structures, is also expected to be finalised.

Climate ministry spokesperson Mohammad Saleem Shaikh told APP that Pakistan continued to face recurring and intensifying drought risks because of climate variability, water scarcity, dependence on monsoon rainfall and increasing pressure on surface and groundwater resources.

He said the effects of drought were being felt across agriculture, water supply, energy production and livelihoods, but responses had so far remained reactive and fragmented.

He said the action plan was intended to provide a unified framework for proactive drought risk management by defining strategic priorities, institutional responsibilities and coordinated action before, during and after drought events.

Shaikh said the NDAP, once implemented, would support operational drought monitoring and forecasting and improve timely decision-making.

He added that effective implementation of the plan would help bridge existing gaps by strengthening preparedness, mitigation and response, while improving institutional coordination to reduce vulnerability and protect livelihoods.