Flood and rain-tolerant crops—a critical need of the hour

Pakistan’s agriculture sector is currently under severe pressure from climate change. In recent decades, unpredictable rainfall patterns ranging from untimely torrential downpours to recurring floods, along with sudden fluctuations in temperature, have had a profound impact on agricultural productivity.

Research has made it evident that not only floods but also prolonged and intense rainfall, rising temperatures, and erratic weather patterns have devastating consequences for crops. Among the most vulnerable is cotton, which suffers immense damage due to water-logging and oxygen deficiency in its roots.

Similarly, maize and vegetables cannot withstand excess water, while wheat and rice are increasingly affected by sudden temperature shifts and unusual rainfall. The cumulative effect of these climatic stresses has created significant challenges for farmers, who often lack access to timely information, advanced inputs, and adaptive technologies to mitigate losses.

Climate change has also made the intensity, duration, and distribution of rainfall unpredictable, while simultaneously accelerating the spread of agricultural pests and diseases. In cotton, pests such as pink bollworm and whitefly have become more aggressive under rising temperatures and humidity, resulting in significant yield losses.

Wheat rust and maize streak virus are also spreading more rapidly under climate stress, further threatening food security and the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers who form the backbone of the agricultural economy. These evolving pest dynamics highlight the urgent need for integrated pest management strategies and climate-smart agricultural practices.

For a country like Pakistan, which relies heavily on cotton for its economy and especially for its textile industry, the development of flood and rain-tolerant varieties is not merely an option, it is an urgent necessity. Similarly, for food security, climate-resilient varieties of wheat, rice, maize, and sugarcane are equally indispensable.

The scientific reality is that unless serious investments are made in seed genetic improvement, water logging resistance, heat tolerance, and biotechnology, every flood, abnormal rainfall, and heat wave will continue to weaken Pakistan’s agriculture and economy, while compounding farmers’ losses. Strengthening extension services and improving access to resilient seeds must accompany technological innovations to ensure that these solutions reach farmers in time.

Globally, successful examples of flood-tolerant varieties already exist in rice, maize, and other crops. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) introduced submergence-tolerant rice, which saved millions of farmers in South and Southeast Asia.

Similarly, CIMMYT has developed maize varieties that can withstand heavy rainfall and waterlogged fields. These successes demonstrate that through biotechnology and genetic research, crops can be given resilience and productivity even under extreme climatic conditions. Such innovations also provide lessons for public-private partnerships and investment frameworks that can accelerate adoption in countries like Pakistan.

In Pakistan, if research institutions, agricultural universities, and policymakers work in a coordinated manner and invest substantially in research and development (R&D), not only cotton but also wheat, maize, rice, and sugarcane can be made climate-smart. Such varieties will not only safeguard farmers but also ensure a steady supply of food and raw material, ultimately strengthening the national economy. Investments in infrastructure such as efficient irrigation systems, flood management, and early warning mechanisms will further enhance the resilience of Pakistan’s agriculture.

In countries such as the United States, Australia, India, and China, scientists are focusing on strengthening root systems, enhancing oxygen absorption capacity, and improving the genetic makeup of plants. In China, hybrid cotton experiments are underway to help the crop survive harsher environmental conditions. However, these efforts are still at the research and trial stage, and in Pakistan, the absence of serious initiatives in this direction leaves farmers highly vulnerable.

It must be acknowledged that climate change is not a challenge of the future; it is a crisis of the present. The survival of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on how swiftly and effectively we adopt modern research, genetic improvements, climate-resilient varieties, and sustainable agricultural practices.

Otherwise, rains, floods, droughts, and heatwaves will continue to erode our agricultural system, with increasingly adverse impacts on farmers, industries, and the economy. Immediate action, combined with long-term strategic planning, is essential to ensure agricultural sustainability and national food security in the face of mounting climate threats.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025