**4.7 Key challenges**

*Climate Change and Agriculture*

**4.3 Research and innovation**

address the situation scientifically.

another core agenda of government.

**4.5 Departmental coordination**

**4.4 Institutional capacity and role of academics**

Research and innovation can play a key role in promoting adaptation. Research and innovative techniques are already in place for agriculture adaptation in the province, where experiments have been conducted to find the best varieties of seed that can survive extreme weathers. The government is providing the best varieties of seeds which can survive in hot seasons and produce good results. For instance, the Punjab Seed Corporation is established to provide quality seeds to the farmers according to the conditions of climatic zones in various parts of the province. The subnational government is focusing on research and innovative strategies to address the impacts of climate change. At the institutional level, they are giving training to government officials so that they can comprehend the situation more amicably and

Institutional capacity is important for the implementation of any policy, programs or plans. They arrange proper training for the people working in the area of climate change in order to understand the actual scenario, especially the impact assessment of climate change on the agriculture sector in the province. For example, over 150 individuals working in relevant departments in the province are trained in national and international institutions. Many others are encouraged to go abroad and conduct research in area of climate and agriculture sector. It is very likely that well trained staff will play a key role in bringing positive results for effective handling of climate change. Engagement of other stakeholders, especially academics, is

Academics in the province are contributing to and conducting studies on climate change and agriculture sector. For example, Agriculture University of Faisalabad has published some work on climate change adaptation and highlighted the importance of adaptation in the province. The university has linkages with international institutions on climate change research. The linkages with international institutions provide opportunities for the professors and researchers at the university to learn innovative adaptation techniques from other parts of the world. They can put into practice in Pakistan the relevant activities they have learned for climate adaptation towards agriculture sector.

Coordination among relevant line departments is essentially important for the implementation of any policy. The subnational government of Punjab has established a link among the 26 agriculture institutes throughout the province in order to set up comprehension strategies for climate change and the agriculture sector. They regularly arrange meetings among these institutes to discuss the new challenges and the existing strategies to manage the negative impacts of climate change. For instance, the Ayub Research Centre (ARC), which manages climate change related activities, is well familiar with what is happening in the agriculture extension departments at various levels and vice versa. By being aware of the activities of agriculture extension departments and others, the ARC can disseminate the positive

activities among other institutions and set new targets accordingly.

**4.6 Autonomous adaptation and transference of adaptation initiatives**

It is noted that the farmers in the province are adjusting to climate change. They are adjusting their agricultural activities with changing climate. In the recent year,

**76**

Despite these promising initiatives the province and local farmers are facing some key challenges for the effective adaptation to climate change. The data indicates that the major hurdles are in the form of a lack of institutional and human capacity, scarcity of financial resources, a lack of technological advancement, lack of research and innovation, and a weak integration of adaptation policy with other related policies. On the other hand the local farmers face lack the awareness about climate change, weak capacity building, financial constraints, and technicality issues to opt with adaptation measures.
