Pakistan has launched its first National Anticipatory Action Strategy, marking a significant milestone in strengthening the country’s disaster risk management framework and improving preparedness for climate-related disasters. The strategy, welcomed by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), aims to protect vulnerable communities by enabling early action before disasters strike, reducing humanitarian and economic losses.
The new strategy represents a major shift from traditional disaster response to anticipatory action, using risk forecasts and early warning systems to trigger financing and interventions before hazards occur. By acting in advance, authorities can better safeguard lives, livelihoods, agriculture, and critical infrastructure from increasingly frequent climate shocks.
WFP, FAO and EU Support Pakistan’s Climate Resilience Efforts
The National Anticipatory Action Strategy builds on a joint initiative led by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with financial support from the European Union (EU).
Working closely with the Government of Pakistan, the initiative has strengthened anticipatory action systems at both national and provincial levels through:
- Enhanced early warning systems
- Improved disaster risk forecasting
- Testing anticipatory action protocols
- Integration of early action into disaster risk management policies
- Climate-informed development planning
These measures are designed to help government institutions respond proactively to climate risks rather than react after disasters occur.
Pakistan Faces Rising Climate Disaster Risks
Pakistan remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with climate-related disasters causing more than US$18 billion in damages over the past two decades. When major flood events in 2010, 2011, and 2022 are included, total losses exceed US$60 billion.
The country’s vulnerability continues to grow. The 2025 monsoon floods affected approximately 6.9 million people, while 2026 has already begun with warnings of El Niño-driven droughts and flash floods.
These disasters have devastating consequences for food security, agriculture, and rural livelihoods, often destroying crops, livestock, homes, and income sources that can take years to recover.
NDMA Highlights Importance of Early Action
Chairman of Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, emphasized the need for proactive disaster preparedness.
“Anticipatory actions need to be activated to reduce disaster risks and minimise humanitarian and economic losses,” he said.
He added that timely preparedness, effective early warning dissemination, and coordinated institutional responses are essential to protecting vulnerable communities from increasing climate-induced hazards.
2025 Flood Response Demonstrates Success of Anticipatory Action
The effectiveness of anticipatory action was demonstrated during Pakistan’s 2025 floods.
In Khairpur district, Sindh, WFP and FAO, with funding from the European Union, provided anticipatory cash assistance of US$179 (PKR 50,000) per household to 15,000 vulnerable people three days before peak flooding.
The early financial support enabled families to:
- Purchase food and essential supplies
- Evacuate safely before flooding
- Protect livestock and household assets
- Reduce economic losses
The initiative showcased how forecast-based financing can significantly lessen the humanitarian impact of natural disasters.
European Union Supports Early Disaster Preparedness
Taheeni Thammannagoda, Head of the EU Humanitarian Aid Office in Pakistan, said Pakistan’s growing exposure to climate-related hazards requires innovative preparedness measures.
She noted that the National Anticipatory Action Strategy represents an important step toward improving disaster preparedness while enabling earlier and more informed interventions to reduce disaster impacts.
Every Dollar Invested Can Save Seven Dollars in Losses
According to WFP Representative and Country Director in Pakistan, Anita Hirsch, anticipatory action delivers substantial economic benefits alongside humanitarian gains.
“Evidence shows that every dollar invested in anticipatory action can save up to US$7 in avoided losses,” she said.
With another monsoon season approaching, Hirsch stressed the importance of sustained investments in anticipatory action to protect lives, livelihoods, and public resources over the long term.
Protecting Agriculture and Food Security
James Robert Okoth, Officer in Charge at FAO Pakistan, highlighted the role of anticipatory action in protecting agricultural production and rural communities.
He explained that acting before disasters strike helps safeguard crops, livestock, livelihoods, and the resilience of farming communities while strengthening the connection between humanitarian response and long-term development.
Expanding Pakistan’s Disaster Preparedness Framework
The joint initiative has already strengthened:
- Risk analysis systems
- Contingency planning
- Disaster simulation exercises
- Institutional coordination across national, provincial, and district authorities in Sindh and Balochistan
Looking ahead, Pakistan plans to align provincial anticipatory action mechanisms and establish pre-disaster public financing systems capable of releasing emergency funds before climate shocks occur.
The expansion of anticipatory action will continue with support from international partners, including the European Union and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
By strengthening early warning systems and ensuring faster access to financing, Pakistan aims to build a more resilient disaster management system capable of reducing the human and economic costs of climate change while protecting millions of vulnerable people from future climate emergencies.
