Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land and water. About 25% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Pakistan irrigates three times more acres than Russia. Agriculture accounts for about 23% of GDP and employs about 44% of the labor force.

Pakistan is one of the world's largest producers and suppliers of the following according to the 2005 Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations and FAOSTAT given here with ranking:Chickpea (2nd) Apricot (4th) Cotton (4th) Sugarcane (4th) Milk (5th) Onion (5th) Date Palm (6th) Mango (7th) Tangerines, mandarin oranges, clementine (8th) Rice (8th) Wheat (9th) Oranges (10th) Pakistan ranks fifth in the Muslim world and twentieth worldwide in farm output. It is the world's fifth largest milk producer.

This, along with sugarcane, cotton and rice make up 75% of all crops grown in Pakistan.

The average temperature in Pakistan is 23.9 °C (75 °F). The average temperature range is 21 °C. The highest monthly average high temperature is 41 °C (106 °F) in June. The lowest monthly average low temperature is 5 °C (41 °F) in January & December. Pakistan's climate receives an average of 489 mm (19.3 in) of rainfall per year, or 41 mm (1.6 in) per month. On average there are 49 days per year with more than 0.1 mm (0.004 in) of rainfall (precipitation) or 4 days with a quantity of rain, sleet, snow etc. per month. The driest weather is in November when an average of 3 mm (0.1 in) of rainfall (precipitation) occurrs across <1 days. The wettest weather is in July when an average of 138 mm (5.4 in) of rainfall (precipitation) occurrs across 9 days. The average annual relative humidity is 37.9% and average monthly relative humidity ranges from 20% in May to 58% in August. Average sunlight hours in Pakistan range between 6.8 hours per day in January and 9.9 hours per day in May. There are an average of 3094 hours of sunlight per year with an average of 8.5 hours of sunlight per day.

On 29th July 2010 heavy monsoon rains On 29th July 2010 heavy monsoon rains triggered flooding in north west Pakistan, triggered flooding in north west Pakistan, causing rivers to burst their banks. causing rivers to burst their banks. Described as the worst floods in living Described as the worst floods in living memory by the UN, it is estimated that memory by the UN, it is estimated that 722,000 homes have been damaged or 722,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, at least 1,600 have been killed destroyed, at least 1,600 have been killed and some 20 million people have been and some 20 million people have been affected.affected.

What do you What do you think this think this image is image is trying to trying to show?show?

Maps of soil moisture during Maps of soil moisture during Pakistan floodsPakistan floods

© REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro courtesy of alertnet.org

Photo caption and credit

A villager fleeing from floodwaters carries a handmade rope bed on his head while taking refuge on high ground in Thatta some 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Karachi in Pakistan's Sindh province August 31, 2010. A month after torrential monsoon rains triggered Pakistan's worst natural disaster on record, flood waters are starting to recede -- but there are countless survivors at risk of death from hunger and disease.

© REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro courtesy of alertnet.org

Important legal noteThis photograph is fully protected by copyright. Schools and other educational organisations aree free to use it for educational use. The licence does not extend beyond this use. This means that anyone wishing to put the image on a website, crop or edit it, or use it in any other way, must first contact the copyright holder and negotiate a licence for the use they require.

This resource and other free educational materials are available at redcross.org.uk/educationThe British Red Cross Society is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SCO37738).

Activity ideasActivity ideas What might be the hopes and fears of the man What might be the hopes and fears of the man

pictured? How would students' themselves feel if they pictured? How would students' themselves feel if they were in his position? Write a different caption that were in his position? Write a different caption that brings out the human story. brings out the human story.

Invite students to find another picture, from a website Invite students to find another picture, from a website or newspaper, that conveys a different human story or newspaper, that conveys a different human story about the Pakistan floods. Share and explain with the about the Pakistan floods. Share and explain with the whole group. whole group.

Boardblast a list of what students think surviving after Boardblast a list of what students think surviving after the floods means. What is essential? Think about the floods means. What is essential? Think about emotional and psychological needs as well as physical. emotional and psychological needs as well as physical. Is, for instance, mourning the dead essential? Is, for instance, mourning the dead essential?

The flood waters are now receding. Does that mean The flood waters are now receding. Does that mean things are getting better? Or is the worst yet to come things are getting better? Or is the worst yet to come for the people of the affected areas? Invite students to for the people of the affected areas? Invite students to research two reasons that would back up each side of research two reasons that would back up each side of the argument.the argument.

Hanifa, 35, only just escaped with her husband and seven children when flood waters swept through Fatah Pur village,

Sindh province in July 2010. Hanifa’s home was badly damaged and six months on the

devastation is still visible: watermarks eight feet high are a constant reminder of the floods’ magnitude. The water

came through with such force houses were literally cleared of their belongings. Most residents simply gathered their children and elderly family members and fled when the

floods hit Pakistan.“We only returned here 15 days ago,” Hanifa says. “We had

been living on the bank of the drainage culvert.” Hanifa now cooks under a makeshift tent constructed from

tarpaulins. Around her are the broken walls of her former house, but within them she has made a tidy, well-ordered

home for her children. Lost livelihood

Before the flood Hanifa and her husband were a farming family, but it is impossible to work the land after the flood and some of her children now work to support the family.

By taking jobs with motor mechanics or confectionary shops they bring in a small amount of money (less than $1 a day).

But Hanifa wants things to change.She says: “I would like my children to be in school, but this is our situation right now. My wish for the future is that we have food, that we can survive and for my children to get

an education.”

Support from the Red Cross The flood waters have taken months to drain away enough to allow residents of Fatah Pur to return. Now, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society is distributing essential household and shelter items to help residents resettle. Each family is given a shelter toolkit and tarpaulins, to help them make short term repairs or construct a shelter on their land. They also receive water purification tablets, blankets, a kitchen set, sleeping mats and basic hygiene items such as soap, toothpaste and laundry powder. Hanifa says: “I’m looking forward to receiving a proper kitchen set as I’ve had very little to cook with. The blankets and sleeping mats will also make a big difference in the cold nights.”

21 January 2011Six months after the floods in Pakistan began, millions of people remain homeless and in need of emergency

aid. More than four million people are without adequate shelter and millions more are in need of food and

other aid, with flood waters still engulfing large areas in Sindh province in the south.

“It is a miserable situation and a disaster which is continuing to unfold,” said Sir Nick Young, chief

executive of the British Red Cross. “I visited Pakistan last week, and vast swathes of land are still flooded preventing people from returning home. Even when people can go back, conditions are desperate. Their

houses, fields and livelihoods have been ruined.”

Emergency needs continueThe floods destroyed 1.9 million homes, taking roofs

from over the heads of a population larger than that of Greater London. The destruction also included 5.4 million acres of damaged farmland, leaving entire communities

without a source of food or income.  “The achievements so far have been huge, but this

disaster affected 20 million people and millions are still in need of emergency support. No single agency or

organisation can solve this alone,” said John English, British Red Cross country representative in Pakistan.

“People in Pakistan want to rebuild their livelihoods, but they need support to do it and this is where the British

Red Cross will focus its efforts.”

Malnourished childrenMore than 70,000 children are estimated to be severely or moderately malnourished across affected provinces,

and villages in the south remain surrounded by contaminated water, creating breeding grounds for

waterborne diseases. In the north, families are living through sub-zero

conditions in the remnants of their homes. Many roads remain blocked or damaged, leaving villagers with no

option but to walk for miles to seek help.“The emergency is far from over,” John said. “Much more help will be needed for people to get back on their feet, and without that help, survivors will be forced further

back into poverty, hunger and vulnerability.”

The floods have destroyed road networks meaning many places are now only accessible on foot.

The floods have caused devastating mudslides, destroying homes, crops and infrastructures

Bridges have been swept away. This temporary footbridge connects two communities, either side of the Duber Khwar River

Peoples lives have been destroyed. They are homeless, hungry and left with nothing.

People took refuge high up on the mountainsides, away from the flood waters. However when people are sick, they have a three day walk down the mountain to the nearest hospital.

This picture was taken in late October, three months on from the torrential monsoon rains.

Still the flood waters have not receded and millions of people still have been unable to return home.

The only method of travel is by boat.

Famida Ghancha has just arrived at the Shabaz relief camp.

“They wanted us to move out of the School room we were staying in so that the classes could open.

We arrived here last night. There is still five feet of water in our village.”

Hidayat Siyal’s village is about an hour away from the nearest relief by boat and is surrounded by water.

“We’re unemployed and have no money. It will take us at least a year and half before we can harvest again.

It is impossible to plant because of the floods.”