In 2024, ownership of farms increased to 89pc from 82pc in 2010, according to Gallup’s Analysis of the Agricultural Census 2024 on farm ownership and tenancy. But what does ownership mean for farmers who have repeatedly been ravaged by floods in recent years?

Research and logic indicate that land tenure security is essential in navigating adaptations to disaster events like floods. Even if the plot is small — the latest agriculture census shows that 97pc of farmers in Pakistan own less than 12.5 acres of land — and in an area dominated by powerful tribal landlords, there is residential security in ownership.

While this may seem a sign of progress — more Pakistanis having legal control over their livelihoods and access to state aid — it also raises deeper questions about vulnerability and resilience.

Ownership gives families a stake in the land; they are less likely to migrate permanently and more inclined to rebuild after disaster. However, when floods like those of 2022 and 2025 submerge entire districts, the same ownership binds people to risk.

Farmers rebuild on fragile, flood-prone soil because abandoning titled land means forfeiting their primary asset. With the pathways to water destroyed, it also increases the propensity towards floods. Meanwhile, tenants and landless laborers, arguably more transient, can relocate more easily. Rising ownership may therefore reduce short-term displacement but heighten long-term exposure — a paradox of security without safety.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, October 13th, 2025