Pakistan Hunger Crisis Deepens as Devastating Floods Ravage Punjab’s Crops

According to Islamic Relief Pakistan, catastrophic flooding has submerged nearly 1.8 million acres of agricultural land across Punjab, the country’s breadbasket and home to nearly half of its staple food production. Early assessments reveal that up to 70% of the province’s farmland is now underwater, leading to the destruction of standing crops such as wheat, rice, and maize.

“This devastation will have a cascading impact on national food supplies,” warned Raza Narejo, Acting Country Director of Islamic Relief Pakistan.

“Punjab province is the most important food-producing region in Pakistan, but 70 percent of it has been flooded and crops and livelihoods have been washed away. It will have an impact across Pakistan and national food shortages are now looming.”

The Pakistan hunger crisis is therefore not confined to the affected region; it poses a national emergency, with ripple effects on food prices, household nutrition, and economic stability.

Over 4.5 Million People Affected Nationwide

Since the monsoon season began on June 26, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reports that more than 4.5 million people have been affected by floods across Pakistan, while the death toll has climbed past 1,000. Thousands of families have been displaced, with many now living in makeshift shelters or under open skies.

In Punjab, entire farming communities are left stranded, cut off by floodwaters that have swept away roads, homes, and livestock. This year’s deluge, experts say, is among the worst in recent history, rivaling the destructive floods of 2022 that claimed over 1,700 lives and caused more than $30 billion in losses, according to UN and government estimates.

The widespread crop loss is likely to disrupt at least two consecutive crop cycles, heightening fears of food scarcity and inflation that could push millions more into hunger.

Islamic Relief’s Urgent Humanitarian Response

Responding to the unfolding disaster, Islamic Relief has already reached over 140,000 flood-affected individuals across Pakistan. The organization has distributed emergency food parcels, clean water, tents, and hygiene supplies, while also helping farmers through seed distribution and agricultural recovery programs.

“Many people here depend on agriculture, but now they have almost nothing. They are completely dependent on government and humanitarian support,” said Narejo. “They urgently need food, water and sanitation services, and later they will need seeds, fertilizer and further support to re-establish their crops.”

Islamic Relief has urged international donors and governments to scale up funding for climate resilience, food assistance, and agricultural rehabilitation in Pakistan, emphasizing that recovery efforts must prioritize sustainable rebuilding to prevent repeated crises.

(Internal link suggestion: Pakistan’s 2022 Flood Recovery Plan and Lessons Learned)

Farmers Speak: Lives and Livelihoods Washed Away

For local farmers like Abdul Rehman, 55, from Muradabad, Punjab, the floods have left behind scenes of unimaginable loss.

“The floods came at night and we had to run away in a hurry,” Rehman told Islamic Relief. “We couldn’t grab anything to take with us because we were in fear. In the morning everything was destroyed. We had two goats and two sheep but they all drowned.”

Stories like Rehman’s are echoed across Punjab’s villages, where entire harvests have been annihilated, grain silos drowned, and livestock swept away. Many residents have chosen to stay in flooded homes to protect their remaining cattle, risking disease and malnutrition.

This agricultural destruction has not only erased livelihoods but also eroded local food supplies, forcing families to depend on relief handouts. As food insecurity spreads, humanitarian groups fear an acute hunger crisis in coming months if immediate action is not taken.

Pakistan’s Growing Climate Vulnerability

Pakistan ranks among the top ten most climate-vulnerable countries globally, despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. Experts warn that extreme weather events — from glacial melt floods in the north to droughts in Sindh and monsoon extremes in Punjab — are becoming more intense due to climate change.

The 2022 floods and the current 2025 monsoon crisis illustrate a dangerous trend: Pakistan’s climate resilience infrastructure remains underdeveloped, leaving millions of farmers exposed to repeated disasters. Without urgent adaptation investments — including better irrigation systems, early warning mechanisms, and climate-smart farming — the cycle of destruction will persist.

(External DoFollow link suggestion: UN Climate Change: Pakistan Flood Response Overview)

A Call for Global Action and Support

The escalating Pakistan hunger crisis is a stark reminder of how climate disasters can quickly escalate into humanitarian emergencies. Islamic Relief and other aid groups are calling for a comprehensive global response, combining immediate relief with long-term climate adaptation strategies.

Raza Narejo emphasized that international solidarity is crucial:

“We must help affected families recover now, but we also need to build resilience against future floods. The people of Pakistan cannot face these disasters alone.”

In parallel, policymakers in Islamabad are urging international donors to support green infrastructure projects, crop insurance schemes, and disaster-resistant housing in rural areas.

For ordinary Pakistanis, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Without rapid and coordinated intervention, millions could fall into hunger and poverty, undoing years of development gains.

(Internal link suggestion: National Climate Policy 2024 and Food Security Initiatives)

Conclusion

The Pakistan hunger crisis triggered by devastating floods in Punjab has once again exposed the nation’s deep vulnerability to climate shocks. As farmland remains submerged and crops destroyed, humanitarian groups like Islamic Relief are working tirelessly to deliver hope and survival to millions.

But the message is clear: without sustained investment in climate resilience and agricultural recovery, Pakistan’s food security will remain perpetually at risk. The time to act — decisively and compassionately — is now.