KARACHI: Pakistan’s food security is under growing threat from increasingly frequent floods, droughts and extreme heat, which have sharply affected agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods, a senior minister said while addressing an international conference on Saturday, emphasizing the need to strengthen water resilience in a climate-stressed region.

Speaking at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) 2026 in Berlin, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said climate-induced shocks had exposed the vulnerability of Pakistan’s agriculture, which relies heavily on the Indus Basin for food production and employment.

“Climate-induced shocks have severely affected agricultural productivity, rural livelihoods and national food security,” Hussain said, adding that recent floods and prolonged dry spells had reinforced the urgency of shifting toward water resilience.

Pakistan’s food system depends on the Indus river system, which supports agriculture, industry and ecosystems for more than 240 million people. Hussain said water security was fundamental to food security and stressed that cooperation over shared water resources was essential for regional stability.

Addressing transboundary water challenges, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to international water law and described the Indus Waters Treaty as a cornerstone of regional water stability. He expressed concern over India’s April 2025 announcement to unilaterally hold the treaty “in abeyance,” calling the Indus river system a lifeline for Pakistan and urging the international community to support the treaty’s full implementation.

On domestic policy, Hussain said Pakistan was pursuing reforms to improve water productivity through high-efficiency irrigation, climate-smart farming practices and drought- and heat-tolerant seed varieties, alongside ecosystem-based measures such as watershed rehabilitation and groundwater recharge.

He said Pakistan remained ready to work with international partners to advance climate-smart agriculture and inclusive food systems, aiming to transform water from a source of risk into a foundation for sustainable development and peace.