THE national response to the flood disaster is slowly starting to coalesce, and it is hoped that the momentum will build up over the coming days and weeks. The initial response may have struggled to get off the ground, and many challenges still stand in the way of reaching those still marooned in the worst-affected areas — yet, there has also been gradual improvement.

It is to the credit of the many civilian volunteers on the ground, the NGOs working round the clock, the armed forces’ rescue and relief teams, and the people of this country — especially those who have donated in this time of great economic difficulty — that those who have suffered calamity now have helping hands to give them much-needed support.

Read: Floods inflict $10bn losses across Pakistan

The relief and rehabilitation operation is just getting started, however, and there is a monumental effort required still. It is imperative that the federal and provincial governments take charge, align the various organisations and individuals working on the ground, and set a direction for how the rebuilding and rehabilitation part of the relief efforts will proceed.

There needs to be a greater degree of order and organisation in the on-ground relief activities to avoid overlap and wastage of precious resources, especially as it seems right now that every organisation involved is working independently of the other. The respective governments also need to chart a strategy for the quickest and surest way to get farmers back on their feet.

It appears from present assessments that the most pressing need farmers will feel is compensation for the loss of seeds for future crops, fertiliser and replacements for lost livestock. Another equally important area of concern is the loss of tools and machinery that aid agricultural activities like tilling, sowing and irrigation. Once the immediate needs of those displaced are taken care of — food, shelter, clean water and adequate health facilities — the governments must start pooling the remaining funds for the purpose of equipping farmers to bounce back from their losses.

Read: Pakistan's history of disasters and the lessons we fail to learn

Seed, fertiliser and livestock might need to be imported, so foreign monetary aid should ideally be set aside for this purpose to avoid putting pressure on the government’s already weak current account position.

As far as the repair and replacement of agricultural implements are concerned, local governments can be activated to provide targeted support to farmers in this area.

It is critical that the respective governments take this particular aspect of the relief effort very seriously: arranging for temporary housing and food for a few days or months may provide a safety net to the affected people, but it won’t help them recover what they have lost. It is critical both for them and for the broader economy that the agricultural districts are nursed back to productivity in the shortest possible time. The nation cannot afford to leave its most vulnerable behind.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2022