Acute Food Insecurity in Pakistan Soars Due to Climate Crisis | FAO
Over 11 million Pakistanis are facing acute food insecurity due to climate change impacts and erratic weather, according to the FAO 2025 Global Report on Food Crises.
Acute food insecurity in Pakistan has reached a distressing new level, affecting over 11 million people between November 2024 and March 2025, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The 2025 Global Report on Food Crises highlights how erratic weather and poor agricultural recovery have intensified hunger and malnutrition in flood and drought-hit regions across the country.
The number of Pakistanis suffering from acute food insecurity reflects a broader global trend — driven by climate disasters, conflicts, and economic shocks — that threatens millions of lives.
The Alarming FAO Findings
The FAO report delivers a critical warning:
“In Pakistan, 11 million people or 22% of the analyzed population were facing high levels of acute food insecurity in 68 flood-affected rural districts.”
This includes 1.7 million people in emergency conditions, classified under the IPC Phase 4, one step away from famine. The most impacted regions were:
- Balochistan
- Sindh
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Furthermore, the FAO increased its data coverage in Pakistan from 36.7 million to 50.8 million people, spanning 25 additional districts, underlining the growing scale of this crisis.
How Climate Change Fuels Hunger
One of the core causes of acute food insecurity in Pakistan is climate variability. Although some areas benefited from above-average rainfall, other regions suffered:
- Severe droughts that destroyed wheat, rice, and cotton harvests.
- Monsoon floods (July to September 2024) that triggered landslides and destroyed infrastructure in southern provinces.
These climate shocks have hit rural agricultural households the hardest, eroding their resilience year after year.
Pakistan ranks among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countries, where rising temperatures, glacier melts, and erratic rainfall continue to disrupt food systems.
Uneven Agricultural Recovery
Following the catastrophic 2022 floods, recovery in many rural areas has been slow and uneven. Farmers continue to struggle due to:
- Loss of livestock
- Poor access to agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers)
- Soaring fuel and transportation costs
- Damaged irrigation and infrastructure
In flood-affected regions of Sindh and Balochistan, agricultural activity remains well below pre-2022 levels, stalling any progress toward food self-sufficiency.
The Human Cost: Malnutrition & Economic Struggles
The consequences are not only environmental but deeply human:
- Low female workforce participation (24.3%) has reduced household incomes, limiting access to nutritious food.
- The number of malnourished children under five has risen drastically.
According to the FAO:
“Nearly 38 million children across 26 global nutrition crises are acutely malnourished. Pakistan is one of the nations facing a persistent rise in child malnutrition.”
Global Hunger Crisis: A Bleak Picture
Globally, the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises notes:
- 295 million people in 53 countries are suffering from acute hunger
- An increase of 13.7 million from 2023
- Conflict remains the #1 driver of hunger, affecting 140 million people
Other Key Drivers:
- Economic shocks (inflation, currency devaluation): 59.4 million affected
- Weather extremes (floods, droughts): A primary contributor in Asia and Africa
“In conflict zones like Gaza, Sudan, Mali, and Haiti, famine conditions are confirmed,” said Rein Paulsen, FAO senior official.
What Can Be Done? Urgent Solutions
To address acute food insecurity in Pakistan, multi-pronged actions are needed:
1. Climate Resilience Projects
- Build water reservoirs and wetland restoration systems
- Promote climate-smart agriculture
2. Targeted Food Assistance
- Deliver emergency rations to IPC Phase 4 districts
- Expand school meal programs for children
3. Strengthening Female Workforce Participation
- Launch initiatives to empower rural women through skill-building and microloans
4. Reconstruction of Rural Infrastructure
- Repair irrigation channels, warehouses, and rural roads
5. Global Solidarity
- Leverage international food aid, funding, and technical support
Conclusion: A Call for Resilience and Reform
The latest FAO report offers a harsh wake-up call about the deteriorating state of acute food insecurity in Pakistan. Without timely, strategic action, millions more could fall into emergency levels of hunger, threatening the nation’s future.
Pakistan’s food crisis is not isolated — it is part of a broader global pattern exacerbated by climate change, economic instability, and violent conflict.
As the world rallies to meet Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Pakistan’s case serves as a critical example of why resilient food systems, climate adaptation, and inclusive economic recovery must be prioritized.
External References:
- FAO – Global Report on Food Crises 2025
- IPC – Integrated Food Security Phase Classification
- UN OCHA – Humanitarian Response Pakistan