PUBLISHED
December 21, 2025

Broad-based initiatives are urgently needed to improve environmental sustainability across the globe, especially in agricultural economies like Pakistan, which is a source of food security for several countries. In recent years, the pace and intensity of climate change in Pakistan have increased dramatically. Repeated cycles of devastating floods, caused by unprecedented heavy rainstorms and even cloudbursts during the monsoon season, have destroyed crops on a national scale. The recent floods have once again revealed how deeply vulnerable our agricultural sector has become.

To prevent drastic reductions in national productivity, Pakistan must urgently adopt emerging technologies that protect its food systems from climate shocks.

In 2025 alone, more than 1.2 million hectares of farmland in Punjab were inundated, destroying major crops such as rice, sugarcane, wheat, and cotton. The floods struck at the beginning of the Rabi sowing season, affecting standing crops and damaging the next planting cycle. Farmers’ income and livelihood opportunities were wiped out for the year. The agricultural emergency also included livestock losses, as fodder was washed away and cattle feed became unaffordable for dairy farmers. Meat supply chains were disrupted, and distress sales of cattle stripped herders of long-term economic gains. Agricultural tools and machinery, already scarce among smallholders, were damaged, further reducing rural communities’ capacity to produce food and livestock.

Pakistan now needs a national agenda to rehabilitate farmers through financial assistance for land preparation, fertilizers, and seed purchases, along with veterinary and human healthcare support to prevent disease outbreaks in flood-hit areas.

Any meaningful national agenda must move beyond diagnosing gaps and clearly outline which technologies can close them. Pakistan already has the foundations to deploy a new generation of climate smart tools. Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered flood and weather intelligence systems that integrate satellite data, Doppler radars, hydrological sensors and machine-learning models can generate hyperlocal, 72-hour risk forecasts. These allow disaster authorities and farming communities to pre-position fodder, evacuate livestock and plan harvest schedules with greater precision. Internet of Things (IoT) sensor networks placed along canals, spillways, embankments and crop belts can detect soil saturation, seepage, water flow anomalies and structural stress in real time, enabling intervention before weaknesses turn into breaches.

Drone based crop diagnostics, combined with satellite imagery, can give small farmers access to agronomic intelligence once reserved for large commercial farms, identifying nutrient deficiencies, pest pressure and irrigation needs at plot level. For financial resilience, digital micro insurance and fintech wallets can automate climate triggered pay outs within hours, limiting dependence on slow manual verification processes and protecting productive assets that would otherwise be sold.

These solutions are not aspirational. Versions already operate in Bangladesh, Kenya and Indonesia, where digital public infrastructure has multiplied the impact of traditional relief systems.

A truly resilient strategy must also spell out how these tools will reach the most vulnerable farmers in practice. That requires a clear architecture for data, governance and delivery. At the national level, institutions and provincial irrigation departments can host integrated resilience platforms that pull in sensor feeds, satellite layers and field reports on a single dashboard that decision-makers actually use. At the district level, agriculture extension workers and local government staff can receive simple early warning messages and advisory scripts on their phones, in local languages, to share with communities. This is how technology shifts from pilots to protection.

To rebuild resilience, we must pursue an innovative approach powered by modern technology. Many water-stressed regions of the world are adopting Vertical Farming and Hydroponics, systems that grow food in controlled environments without soil, powered by the IoT and AI. In a country defined by water scarcity, IoT sensors can continuously monitor nutrient levels and water quality in hydroponic systems, enabling recirculation that saves up to 90 percent of water compared to conventional farming. These automated systems are also becoming more cost-effective, as smart IoT frameworks manage energy-intensive components like LED lights. By scheduling major operations during off-peak hours and using advanced algorithms to provide light and nutrients only when needed, energy costs are reduced, making commercial scaling viable and sustainable.

With this controlled environment, crops receive optimal conditions around the clock, ensuring a reliable, year-round harvest that is protected from floods, heatwaves, and droughts. This model not only guarantees food security for Pakistan’s rapidly growing population but also enhances export competitiveness. Through blockchain-based traceability systems, the quality of produce can be verified for global buyers demanding transparency and consistency.

Such a shift will transform agriculture from an educated gamble into a data-driven science. It will also relocate food production away from flood-prone regions, ensuring that even when farmlands are submerged, food can continue to grow safely indoors. With Pakistan’s young and tech-savvy workforce, the country has the talent to build an enabling ecosystem for digital agriculture that offers scalability, flexibility, and adaptability to evolving challenges.

Swift policy reforms are essential to reduce import duties and taxes on smart agricultural components such as sensors, controllers, and connectivity hardware. Telecom companies, which already operate robust nationwide networks, can play a crucial role if incentivised to provide subsidised data plans and cloud-based dashboard packages for growers. Simultaneously, agricultural training programs must be launched to help farmers operate new technologies and manage data through mobile applications in local languages, ensuring inclusive adoption across rural areas.

The question before Pakistan is simple yet urgent: can we adopt digital agriculture quickly enough? Investing in these technologies is a strategic and intelligent choice to build resilience against climate change. Pakistan still has time to transform its agriculture into a sustainable, profitable, and secure sector that is flood-proof, water-efficient, and future-ready. The future of Pakistani agriculture is digital, and its survival depends on it.

Sheeraz Ahmed is the Head of Mobility Solutions, Zong Business