Visit in the country after the floods, the United Nations Secretary General declared that he had “never seen a climate carnage of this magnitude”.
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The goats of Muhammed Ismael Narejo graze to the middle of the puny cotton plants. Animals are binding with pleasure while their bells are moving across fields. These bucolic appearance scenes actually testify to the tragedy that strikes Pakistani agriculture. “The cotton fields have been completely destroyed, they will not give anything anymore, so we make the animals graze here because they no longer have a grass,” says Muhammed Ismael Narejo, leaning on a long wooden stick.
The torrential rains that fell in August on these Sind plains, a northern province of Pakistan, have completely destroyed the cotton crops that are on the left bank of the Indus. More than 600,000 hectares have been devastated. “Our other plots are still underwater,” deplores the 27 -year -old young farmer, who has less than a hectare of land. The fields, engorged, have become lairs of fishing for herons and bathing places for the buffaloes that immerse themselves there. The farmers, they will see the extent of the damage by boat.
“The sky fell on us”
Pakistan is the fifth largest cotton producer in the world. This colossal loss for the textile industry, which represents almost 10 % of GDP, undermines the prospects for the recovery of the Pakistani economy which undergoes a major crisis. About 40 % of the population depends on agriculture, which represents around 5 % of the economy. Islamabad, which lacks foreign currency, may have to import cotton but also foodstuffs.
The rains have almost spared no culture. On the right bank of the Indus, more than half of the rice fields have been destroyed. “This season, we will not have rice,” says Shabir Ahmed Chachar, pointing to one of his fields entirely swallowed up by waters. “The sky fell on us, and this rain destroyed everything that was precious to us,” continues the farmer. The man in his forties fears that the floods will also compromise wheat sowing which generally starts from October. “We have no way to drain the water, we have to wait for it to evaporate. If we do not manage to sow wheat, then we will fall into poverty,” says the man with an ebony look and with a pepper and salt beard. The authorities estimate that it will take three to six months to drain water from cities and plantations.
The Sind province was one of the most affected. This region alone has received seven times more rains than usual in August, according to data from the Pakistani meteorological department. Visiting Pakistan, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, said on Saturday September 10, having “never seen a climatic carnage of this magnitude”, and called the big polluters to “stop this madness” consisting in investing Still in fossil fuels. “Rich countries are moral responsibility for helping developing countries such as Pakistan to recover from such disasters,” said Guterres. Pakistan, responsible for less than 1 % of these greenhouse gas emissions, is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change.
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