Climate Change, Pest Dynamics, and Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Pakistan: An Integrated Approach to Enhancing Crop Resilience and Productivity
This study explores the impact of climate change on pest dynamics and evaluates the effectiveness of sustainable agricultural practices and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies across Pakistan’s diverse agro-ecological zones. The findings reveal significant increases in pest populations due to rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, particularly in the Punjab plains and Sindh’s semi-arid regions. Sustainable practices, including conservation tillage, organic amendments, and PGPR application, significantly improved soil health indicators and increased crop yields by up to 31%. The integration of IPM with these practices resulted in a 40% reduction in pest populations and a 50% decrease in chemical pesticide use, while also enhancing crop quality. These results underscore the potential of combining sustainable practices with IPM to create resilient agricultural systems that can adapt to the challenges of climate change, ensuring food security and environmental sustainability in Pakistan.
Keywords: Climate change, Pest dynamics, Sustainable agriculture, IPM, Pakistan
