As Pakistan continue to be on the top of countries affected by climatic hazards and nearly 40 percent of the country’s population relies on the highly vulnerable to climate change agriculture sector, there is an increasing need to proactively respond to shocks and disasters.
Instead of waiting for shocks and disasters to strike, we can predict the shocks and their impact with increasing precision, and engage in anticipatory actions to protect and mitigate their negative effect on lives and livelihoods.
Aligned with the global agenda on anticipatory actions, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with support from the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), organized a validation workshop for a drought Anticipatory Action Protocol (AAP). The drought AAP was developed as part of joint partnership of FAO and DG ECHO, through implementation of a regional project “Increasing capacities and scale for anticipatory action including through social protection system”.
 “As climate change continue to affect Pakistan we cannot do business as usual. A single organization cannot address issues of climate change. There is need for collaboration but most importantly there is a need for proactiveness and that is why anticipatory actions become important that we should integrate them in our work. It is only if we will agree on the right triggers that we shall be able to help the Government and different partners to start proactive actions before the disaster strike”, said James Okoth, FAO’s Head of Provincial Office, during his opening remarks. He also thanked participants and members of the Anticipatory Action Technical Working Group, co-led by FAO and PDMA at provincial level, for providing their inputs to development of the drought AA Protocol.
The workshop gave a venue for various partners, to discuss on existing drought monitoring system presented by the Drought Monitoring Cell, challenges of existing early warning system, and review drought Anticipatory Action Protocol. Sara Javid, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Tharparkar district, who called to bring into discussion financial institutions, who can support operalization of Anticipatory Actions on the ground, raised the importance of identification pre-defined financing mechanisms for Anticipatory Actions.
The participants also expressed gratitude to FAO and DG ECHO for its work and commitment and hopes for scaling up this important work. “We thank for great collaboration with FAO and DG ECHO on the anticipatory actions and we are looking forward strengthening the collaborative efforts so as anticipation can be made to avoid maximum damage and minimalize problems faced by communities who are vulnerable to shocks and disasters”, said Syed Murtaza Shah, Deputy Commissioner, Dadu District.
As an immediate next step following outcomes of the event, FAO together with members of the AA TWG will finalize drought AAP and undertake drought simulation exercise at district level. Simultaneously, FAO is finalizing development of the flood Anticipatory Action Protocol, which will be tested through a simulation exercise ahead of upcoming monsoon season.
The event was well attended by representatives from the Provincial Disaster  Management  Authority (PDMA), Climate Change and Costal Development Authority Sindh, Provincial Social Protection Authority Sindh , Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Provincial and  District Departments of Agriculture Extension, District administration representatives from Dadu  and  Tharparkar, Livestock, Animal Husbandry, DG ECHO, local and international non-governmental organizations (CESVI, Islamic Relief, ACTED, FRDP, WHH , AKDN , LRF , ACF , SAFWCO, SRSO , PARC), UN OCHA, WFP, IOM, and FAO’s Headquarters Office of Emergencies and Resilience.
Ajay Kumar delivered the closing remarks from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PMDA), who thanked participants and stressed importance of strengthening collaboration and promoting synergies among all concerned partners.