In the wake of widespread crop destruction caused by recent floods, the federal government has decided to roll out a comprehensive plan to assist farmers and rebuild Pakistan’s agriculture on climate-resilient foundations.
The plan was discussed during the inaugural meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Agriculture and Climate/Flood Emergencies, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, on Monday.
Speaking at the session, Ahsan Iqbal said that supporting flood-affected farmers was a top government priority and urged provincial administrations to work swiftly with the federal government to ensure that farmers are compensated ahead of the Rabi season.
“Time is critical—we must act immediately to restore livelihoods and ensure seed distribution,” he said, adding that over 1.3 million acres of farmland had been ravaged in Punjab alone.
Highlighting the need to diversify agriculture, the minister announced a 5,000-acre canola seed pilot project in Narowal, backed by corporate sponsorship. “This project will show that moving toward high-value crops such as canola can improve farmer incomes and reduce climate vulnerability,” he said.
The minister also called for the expansion of interest-free loan schemes and the creation of private insurance models to protect farmers against recurring floods and droughts.
To accelerate policy action, the government has decided to form three special taskforces that will submit their findings within 15 days. The taskforces will cover (i) emergency seed supply and crop recovery, (ii) climate adaptation and resilience planning, and (iii) infrastructure strengthening for future disasters.
“Climate change is now a permanent threat. We must design long-term solutions to protect our food systems and economy,” Ahsan Iqbal noted.
Briefing the meeting, Member Infrastructure Waqas Anwar said that the Cabinet Committee will work with provincial governments to prepare both immediate and medium-term packages for agricultural recovery and resilience.
Federal Ministers Musaddiq Malik, Awais Leghari, and Mian Riaz Hussain, along with provincial agriculture and finance ministers, attended the meeting. Senior officials from the Planning Commission, Climate Change Division, and Water Management departments were also present.
