Heatwaves in Punjab threaten agriculture, food security: UN
• Report says fruit yields plunge 50pc; heat stress spreads livestock disease, cuts milk output • Shrinking incomes, food spoilage limit rural families’ healthy diets • Women bear brunt of crisis due to heavy outdoor labour; preterm birth risk jumps 26pc in severe weather ISLAMABAD: Increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves in Punjab’s rain-fed rural areas are disrupting agricultural production,…
UN agencies warn that scorching heatwaves in Punjab's rain-fed rural regions are crippling agriculture, diminishing household incomes, and intensifying food insecurity, especially for women and marginalized groups. The report "Extreme Heat and Agriculture," a collaboration between the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), reveals that soaring temperatures have caused fruit yields to plummet by up to 50% in high-rainfall zones and have undermined livestock health.
Perishable goods spoil quickly in extreme heat, exacerbating food spoilage and driving up prices. Rural families suffer from reduced incomes and limited access to healthy diets. Women, who constitute a significant portion of the labor force in agriculture, suffer disproportionately, bearing the brunt of the crisis due to their heavy physical work.
Women face heightened risks of heat-related illnesses and preterm births, with a 26% increase in preterm births during heatwaves, according to the report. The FAO and WMO emphasize that extreme heat is exacerbating existing environmental threats and creating compounded risks for global agriculture and human health.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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