Stakeholders join hands to integrate heatwave risk into disaster planning for safety of agrifood systems

KARACHI, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2026) The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), organized a workshop in Karachi to examine the growing impact of heatwaves on food security, human health, and agriculture in Sindh, with a growing focus on shifting from reactive response to anticipatory action.

The workshop brought together representatives from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), SUPARCO, the Agriculture and Livestock Departments, academia, as well as humanitarian and development partners. Discussions focused on strengthening trigger-based early warning systems, developing a comprehensive heatwave crisis timeline across sectors, and advancing toward anticipatory action through early preparedness and timely decision-making.

Speaking on the occasion Prof. Dr. M. Ismail Kumbhar from Sindh Agriculture University said “Farmer awareness and climate literacy are fundamental to agricultural resilience; without a clear understanding of temperature variability, rainfall patterns, and crop-specific sensitivities, effective adaptation to heatwave stress is unattainable.

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Project Manager FAO Pedro Garzon highlighted “Moving forward, a strategic transition is needed to embed food security considerations within existing heatwave response systems, ensuring that early warnings not only protect human health but also safeguard crops, livestock, and long-term livelihoods.”

Through technical sessions and panel discussions, participants identified system gaps and priority actions to improve readiness, coordination, and risk-informed planning ahead of the next heatwave season, with an emphasis on enabling early actions before impacts fully materialize.

Anjum Nazeer Zaighum, Deputy Director PMD said heatwave forecasting is complex, but advancements now allow us to issue alerts 3–5 days in advance using multi-layer climate modeling, creating critical windows for anticipatory action.

The workshop marked an important step toward institutionalizing anticipatory action for heatwaves in Sindh, with the overarching goal of protecting lives, livelihoods, and food security.