Abstract:
In mid-2022, Pakistan experienced a devastating and unprecedented flood that impacted over 33
million people across the country, with the Punjab province being the hardest hit. This study was
conducted in Southern Punjab, focusing on assessing the flood's consequences on rural
communities' livelihoods and food security. District Rajanpur, a severely affected area in Punjab,
was chosen as the study's focal point. The research involved interviews with 100 individuals
affected by the flood to gather data, which was subsequently analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical
Package for Social Sciences) software. The study's findings revealed that agriculture served as the
primary source of income in the area, and the flood adversely affected the region's natural capital,
including land, irrigation systems, orchards, and livestock. These damages severely disrupted
income generation, leading to food deficits and insecurity as people were compelled to utilize
contaminated resources, particularly water. Overall, the disaster set back the prosperity of the
farming community by several years.
To enhance resilience in such situations, a collaborative effort should be initiated involving both
the public and private sectors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and national and
international funding agencies. Additionally, establishing an early warning system and capacity building programs for flood victims can greatly contribute to disaster preparedness and response.
These initiatives should be implemented in flood-prone regions throughout the entire country.
