Environmental change and farmers' adaptation in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

"Extreme temperatures and unpredictable precipitation patterns are causing both drought and flooding to the agricultural sector of Punjab, Pakistan and negatively impacting farmers’ lives. The latest provincial agricultural policy framework seeks to provide advisory services, access to credit, subsidies, new agricultural technology, and information on adaptation, but not all farmers are able to access or afford these, extension services are spread thin, and most farmers in Punjab are small landholders and while policies acknowledge them, they do not favor the poorest. This thesis begins with a discussion on the geography and climate of Pakistan and then the Pakistani Prime Minister’s favorable views on environmental adaptation and mitigation. I then critique Punjab, Pakistan’s latest provincial agricultural policy, followed by a literature review which describes how farmers are perceiving and adapting to environmental change. I conclude that the poorest farmers in Punjab do not benefit from most agricultural policies."