First National Drought Action Plan unveiled

ISLAMABAD: Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Aisha Humera Moriani has underscored the urgent need for Pakistan to transition from a reactive to a proactive, risk-based approach to drought management, warning that climate change is making droughts more frequent and severe.

Speaking as keynote speaker at a national consultative workshop on the National Drought Action Plan (NDAP) held here at a local hotel, the federal secretary said drought was “no longer a distant or occasional risk” but an increasingly persistent threat driven by rising temperatures, water stress and climate variability.

“Pakistan is already among the countries facing high water risk and drought directly affects agriculture, water resources, food security, ecosystems and livelihoods,” she said, adding that past responses had largely focused on post-impact relief rather than preparedness.

Moriani highlighted the need for a coordinated institutional and policy framework to translate data into action. She acknowledged the role of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and partners in developing the Pakistan Drought Management System (PakDMS), which provides real-time monitoring and early warning capabilities.

“This is a significant step forward. However, data alone is not enough. We need systems that ensure timely data-informed and evidence-based decisions and on-ground implementation,” she said.

The climate change ministry secretary informed participants that the ministry, with support from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and following extensive consultations, had developed a National Drought Action Plan.

The plan is structured around key pillars, including planning and resource mobilisation, governance and policy, early warning systems, local mitigation actions and capacity building.

The workshop, attended by representatives from federal and provincial governments, development partners and organisations including IWMI, PMD, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), aimed to finalise an operational framework for implementing the plan.

Participants discussed identifying priority sectors, defining institutional roles and responsibilities, and developing a roadmap for short-, medium- and long-term actions.

Meanwhile Ms Aisha Humera Moriani emphasised that effective drought management required strong coordination among federal and provincial governments, technical agencies and development partners.

“Drought is a cross-sectoral challenge and requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach,” she stressed.

The climate change and environmental coordination ministry secretary reiterated her ministry’s commitment to facilitating coordination with key stakeholders, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the PMD and provincial departments, and urged participants to contribute technical inputs to finalise a practical and nationally owned action plan.

The expected outcomes of the workshop included an operational framework document outlining institutional roles and coordination mechanisms, identification of priority sectors for drought risk reduction, and proposals for establishing a National Drought Management Committee and a Technical Advisory Committee.

A roadmap for implementation, including timelines and reporting structures, is also expected.

Mohammad Saleem Shaikh, media spokesperson for the ministry and a climate policy and advocacy specialist, said that Pakistan continues to grapple with recurring and intensifying drought risks due to climate variability, water scarcity, heavy reliance on monsoon rainfall and growing pressure on surface and groundwater resources.

The adverse impacts of drought cut across multiple sectors, including agriculture, water supply, energy production and livelihoods, he noted.

The ministry official highlighted that despite these risks, responses have largely remained reactive and sector-specific.

However, the NDAP would provide a unified framework to shift towards proactive drought risk management by defining strategic priorities, institutional roles and coordinated actions before, during and after drought events, he hoped.

Talking about salient features of NDAP, Mr. Shaikh said that the NDAP, when implemented, will offer operational drought monitoring and forecasting tools to support timely decision-making. However, he cautioned that without a national action plan, the effective use of such data remains limited.

“Effective and well-coordinated implementation of the NDAP will help bridge existing gaps by providing a strategic roadmap to strengthen preparedness, mitigation and response, while improving institutional coordination to reduce vulnerability and safeguard livelihoods,” said the ministry’s climate policy advocacy specialist Mohammad Saleem Shaikh.