Lahore  -  Despite this year’s cool March, experts on Sunday warned that Pakistan and the rest of the region could be under threat from climate change-driven hazards, likely to have catastrophic effects on the

country’s agriculture and living conditions.

It may be recalled here that domestic olive oil production during the last season was estimated at 70 million tonnes as compared to the output of over 100 tonnes of the corresponding period of last year, whereas the availability of olive fruit for value-added products was recorded at over 100 tonnes.

During the period, having badly influenced by the impact of climate change, rising temperatures during the flowering stage, and torrential rains, the local output remained less than last year’s production, as the output of olive oil was reduced by 30 per cent.

However, the government, in collaboration with the Italian government, embarked upon a programme to train olive farmers in the country to revive and develop local production of oil protecting it from climate change impacts which will also help reduce reliance on the costly imported commodity.

The government was also working on promotion of olive farming and prepared a programme to convert wild olives into productive olive plants to increase the farm income of farmers in marginalised areas of the country. It may be mentioned that the third meeting of the steering committee on ‘Olive Culture’ was chaired by Italian Ambassador in Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese and the Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MFSR).

Official source from the Ministry of climate Change and Environmental Coordination, emphasised the importance of agriculture for sustaining life and the economy, and the need for sustainable agriculture practices to address challenges like low productivity and climate change.

Agriculture is the primary source of food and raw materials for various industries, such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels, the sources said, adding that Pakistan was an agricultural country, with the sector accounting for a significant portion of the country’s GDP and employing a large proportion of the population, they said.

Agriculture contributes more than 23 per cent to Pakistan’s GDP and employs 37.4 per cent of the labour force, but productivity is currently below par, with decreasing cultivation area, climate impacts, a population-production gap, and agricultural imports amounting to $10 billion annually, they said.

Secretary Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Muhammad Ishaq, while talking to APP, highlighted the salient features of the climate change impacts on agriculture controlling which could boost revival of agriculture that bring economic prosperity for the country.

He also shed light on the landmark steps, being undertaken by the government to exploit full potential in agriculture and other domains under the ambit of the recently launched Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).