The production and consumption of some commodities can have a disastrous effect on species and landscape biodiversity, causing deforestation, land and water degradation, and significant greenhouse gas emissions. WWF is working around the globe to transform the way commodities are being produced. WWF’s vision is to ensure that businesses and markets offer products that contribute to economic and social development and safeguard earth’s biodiversity.

Pakistan’s economy is primarily based on agriculture and the key industries such as textiles, sugarcane, rice, dairy, etc. are also dependent on agriculture for provision of their raw material. Yet, the production of key commodities at farm level is unsustainable, which leads to higher environmental footprint and low return to its producers, usually resource poor marginalized farmers. Besides having adverse impacts on environment and associated ecosystem services, the agriculture business is itself under threat due to presence of market inefficiencies, lack of capacity to add value and lack of organization for collective market influence.

Beyond the farm gate, the situation is not different either. Most of the supply chains and allied processing and manufacturing industries are posing even higher threats to environment in terms of pollution, higher energy consumption, excessive water usage and effluents. There are very few certified sustainable products being produced in Pakistan. The commodities supply chains are characterized by adoption of resource-intensive production methods that are exerting a substantial damage on the environment.

WWF-Pakistan has adopted a market-based approach to nature conservation and environmental protection through sustainable production and consumption of commodities. WWF aims to target commodities whose unsustainable production is threatening the local environment, biodiversity, natural resources as well as communities. This approach allows a shift in the global market of commodities towards sustainable production when large numbers of buyers demand sustainably produced products in their supply chains.

WWF-Pakistan through its Sustainable Agriculture & Food Programme is executing initiatives on climate resilient crop production, on-farm water stewardship, agroforestry, value chain development and crop residue management, and sustainable energy solutions. We are also focusing on developing local and international markets for targeted commodities whose unsustainable production is threatening the environment and the communities.