ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has unveiled its first Anticipatory Action Strategy, a significant step in bolstering the country’s disaster risk management framework and mitigating the effects of climate-related disasters on vulnerable populations. Anticipatory action employs risk forecasts to initiate funding and action before disasters occur, shifting the focus from reactive to proactive measures to lessen their impact.
According to United Nations Pakistan, the strategy is a product of a collaborative effort between the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with financial backing from the European Union (EU), in support of the Pakistani government. This initiative has introduced various measures at both national and sub-national levels, such as enhancing early warning systems, refining protocols, and embedding anticipatory approaches into governmental disaster risk management and development plans.
“Anticipatory actions need to be activated to reduce disaster risks and minimize humanitarian and economic losses,” stated Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). He emphasized the importance of timely preparedness and coordinated responses to shield vulnerable communities from the escalating impacts of climate-induced hazards.
Over the past two decades, climate-related disasters have inflicted damages exceeding US$18 billion in Pakistan, escalating to over US$60 billion when taking into account major floods in 2010, 2011, and 2022. The 2025 monsoon floods alone affected 6.9 million individuals, and 2026 is already presenting El Niño-related drought and flash flood warnings. The repercussions on food security are profound, as these disasters devastate livelihoods and assets that require years for recovery.
The efficacy of anticipatory action was evident during the 2025 floods when WFP and FAO, supported by the EU, provided anticipatory cash assistance of US$179 (PKR 50,000) per household to 15,000 vulnerable people in Khairpur district, Sindh, three days prior to peak flooding. This assistance allowed families to secure essential supplies, evacuate safely, and protect their livestock and assets.
Taheeni Thammannagoda, Head of EU Humanitarian Aid’s office in Pakistan, highlighted the need for innovative approaches given Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate-related hazards. “The Anticipatory Action Strategy is an important step towards strengthening preparedness and enabling earlier, more informed action to reduce disaster impacts,” Thammannagoda remarked.
The joint initiative has also advanced risk analysis, contingency planning, and simulation exercises across various levels of authority in Sindh and Balochistan. Anita Hirsch, WFP Representative and Country Director in Pakistan, noted, “Evidence shows that every dollar invested in anticipatory action can save up to US$7 in avoided losses.” With the next monsoon season approaching, continuous investments are deemed crucial for saving lives, livelihoods, and resources.
James Robert Okoth, Officer in Charge at FAO Pakistan, added, “Anticipatory action bridges humanitarian response and development by protecting people while ensuring that agriculture and livestock systems remain productive.”
Future efforts will aim to align provincial processes and mobilize pre-disaster financial mechanisms to ensure resources are available ahead of shocks. The scaling of these efforts is supported by partners, including the EU and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), to ensure early warnings lead to timely actions.