Feasibility Study for R4 Rural Resilience Initiative in Pakistan: Situation Analysis of Risk Management Practices
Program/Project Brief:
This feasibility study, in order to guide WFP’s R4 programme, aims to provide the situation analysis of current practices of farmers for risk management. Also, the analysis extends to farmers’ perceptions regarding available strategies of risk management. The inquest also involves identifying the barriers to risk management. Broadly, the analysis guides WFP’s interventions for improving resilience of rural farming households through using Social Safety Nets in Punjab, Pakistan.
Donors/Partners: World Food Programme
Locale:
- Muzaffargarh and Rahim Yar Khan
- Peshawar IDI Urban
- Sindh Karachi IDI &KI & FGD Urban
Duration of Project: 4 Months
Concept/Introduction:
Climate change has had significantly increased the production and ecological risks in agriculture globally as well as in Pakistan. Environmental risks are increasing due to rising mean temperature and changing vector ecologies. Higher probabilities of production and ecological risks have also contributed to higher market risks. Returns from agriculture have become nearly cyclical. And due to particular nature of agriculture
Objectives:
- Mapping the major types of risks facing the farmers with particular focus on environmental risks.
- Assessing the perceived impact of environmental risk (climate change) on major crop production and its corresponding impact on smallholders’ livelihoods.
- Documenting farmers’ perceptions of risk transfer instruments and their preferred risk management strategies/instruments.
- Assessing the barriers facing farmers in crop insurance.
- Assessing the role of extension services, agricultural infrastructure including R&D in mitigating the environmental risk.
- Reviewing the best international practices of risk management in agriculture for comparing with R4 initiative and contextualizing it to Pakistan.
- Reviewing the role of social protection systems of Punjab in rural agriculture sector and identifying the opportunities for developing linkages with social safety nets.
- Providing technical guidance and recommendations to WFP on most feasible entry points for integrated risk management.
Work/activities accomplished:
- Qualitative analysis (FGDs, KIIs, IDIs from Muzaffargarh and Rahim Yar Khan)
- Quantitative analysis (House hold survey from Muzaffargarh)
- Data Analysis
- Report Writing
Team Members:
Dr. Sajid Amin Javed, Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Irfan Ahmad Chatha and Syed Mohsin Ali