**4. Climate adaptation in Punjab**

This study was conducted for the period of November 2016–April 2017. Apart from desk research, 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with

*Climate Change and Agriculture*

curb the challenge of climate change.

Adaptation is essentially important to avoid impacts of climate change otherwise these impacts happen gradually [28]. It has been projected by climate models that there would be more frequent devastating floods, high rainfall events, and heat waves. Therefore, this scenario of climatic impacts necessitates the incorporation of adaptation strategies. Adaptation is considered a promising step to strengthen local

In Paris Agreement 2015, the adaptation to climate change is much emphasized. Dessai et al. [38] argued that mitigation alone is not sufficient to address climate change effectively. Therefore, adaptation attempts are made around the world to

Pakistan recognizes the importance of adaptation to climate change. Change adaptation strategies are important to deal the issue of climate change in Pakistan (Ali and Erenstein [39]). Pakistan's policy response prioritizes adaptation measures. For instance, national climate change policy is much focused on climate adaptation initiatives. Mumtaz [40] argued that climate adaptation measures are unavoidable for Pakistan keeping in view its high vulnerability to climate change. It is reported that these adaptation mea-

Agriculture is a sensitive sector to climate change and it is considered among the most vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate change [35]. Extreme weather conditions and precipitation changes are affecting the crop development, growth and yield of crops [41]. Rise in temperature reduces the grain filling duration,

For last few decades high temperature is reported in Asia and the Pacific regions [43]. The agriculture sector in these regions is more vulnerable considering that Asia and the Pacific are responsible for 37% of the total world emissions from agriculture production. Most vulnerable countries in these regions are: Bhutan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam [44]. It is also reported that agriculture sector may disturb the climate [45]. It is indicated that 14% of nitric oxide and methane is coming from the agriculture sector and 18% is due to deforestation for agricul-

Agriculture sector is the backbone of the economy of Pakistan. This sector in Pakistan faces serious challenges due to climate change which impacts in the form of rising temperatures, floods, droughts, and yield losses [13]. The continuously occurrence of floods in Pakistan and other climate change impacts is costing the country 14 billion dollars per year, which is around five% of gross domestic product (GDP) to its economy [47].

Agriculture sector feeds food to the fast growing population of Pakistan accord-

To face the risks in agriculture associated with climate change, adaptation is the key factor to address the negative impacts of climate change. Adaptation strategies are important opportunities to tackle climate change effectively and to sustain the crop production [49]. Adaptation is an important policy response to climate change in agriculture sector [31, 35]. The IPCC emphasizes that it is very fundamental for

C rise in temperature will cause (6–9%) decline in

ing to Economic Survey of 2010–2011. Climate change is a great challenge for Pakistan's agrarian economy [8]. Agriculture productivity is affected by various factors including rainfall pattern, variation in temperature, and variation in dates of harvesting and sowing, availability of water, and evaporation along with suitability

capacity to tackle the forecasted and unexpected climatic conditions [38].

sures are important for all major sector including agriculture sector.

**3. Climatic impacts on agriculture sector**

caused the grains sterility and yield reduction [42].

**72**

ture use [46].

of land [9]. It is projected with 1°

the agricultural sector to adapt to climate change.

wheat productivity [48].

relevant stakeholders. These stakeholders include policy experts, government officials, think tanks working in the area, related nongovernmental organizations, academics, ministry of climate change, provincial environmental protection agency, farmer community, civil society, and climate change activists in the province of Punjab.

Punjab is geographically located approximately at 30,000 N, 70,000 E in the semi-arid lowlands zone [61]. It is the most populous and second largest province of Pakistan. Punjab is a fertile agricultural region which holds an extensive irrigation network and plays a leading role in the development of the economy [62]. The province accounts for 56.2% of the total cultivated area, 53% of the total agricultural gross domestic product and 74% of the total cereal production in the country [63, 64]. Punjab mainly contributes for agricultural sector in the percentage of land (57.2%) in agricultural sector and the percentage share (53%) of Pakistan's agricultural gross domestic product [65]. Agriculture sector in Punjab is facing the impacts of climate change. Below is the map of Pakistan, highlighting light green portion as our case of study that is Punjab province (**Figure 1**).

During the last decade or so, climate change adaptation gained a space on policy agenda. Subnational governments, being closer to the locale of climatic impacts, play a key role in the effective implementation of climate change policies. In the case of Pakistan, the implementation of climate change and other related policies rests with subnational governments. In this section, we analyze the adaptation strategies in Punjab Province. **Table 1** shows the adaptation initiatives and drivers behind these initiatives in Punjab.
