Publication: Indus Basin of Pakistan : Impacts of Climate Risks on Water and Agriculture
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Published
2013-05
ISSN
Date
2013-06-11
Author(s)
Yang, Yi-Chen
Savitsky, Andre
Alford, Donald
Brown, Casey
Wescoat, James
Debowicz, Dario
Robinson, Sherman
Editor(s)
Abstract
This study, Indus basin of Pakistan: the impacts of climate risks on water and agriculture was undertaken at a pivotal time in the region. The weak summer monsoon in 2009 created drought conditions throughout the country. This followed an already tenuous situation for many rural households faced with high fuel and fertilizer costs and the impacts of rising global food prices. Then catastrophic monsoon flooding in 2010 affected over 20 million people, devastating their housing, infrastructure, and crops. Damages from this single flood event were estimated at US dollar 10 billion, half of which were losses in the agriculture sector. Notwithstanding the debate as to whether these observed extremes are evidence of climate change, an investigation is needed regarding the extent to which the country is resilient to these shocks. It is thus timely, if not critical, to focus on climate risks for water, agriculture, and food security in the Indus basin of Pakistan.
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“Yang, Yi-Chen; Yu, Winston; Savitsky, Andre; Alford, Donald; Brown, Casey; Wescoat, James; Debowicz, Dario; Robinson, Sherman. 2013. Indus Basin of Pakistan : Impacts of Climate Risks on Water and Agriculture. Directions in development;countries and regions. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/13834 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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