Collaborative steps for food security stressed

The past year has proven to be extremely challenging in the context of food security for Pakistan, however, a collaborative approach is needed to invest in food security of the country. This was agreed by participants of an event held on Friday to commemorate World Food Day 2020.

The event had been organised by Oxfam in Pakistan in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) on the global theme of “Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together” (Our Actions are our Future). Ministry of Food Security and Research Additional Secretary Syed Anwarul Hassan read out a message from Prime Minister Imran Khan that apart from the pandemic, climate change and locust attacks, various other factors have also been adversely affecting Pakistan’s agricultural production in recent years.

“Around 18.3% of households are severely food insecure. About a fourth of the population lives below the poverty line and two-fifths of children under the age of five are facing stunted growth, Hassan read, continuing, “Over the past years, the share of agriculture in the GDP of Pakistan has been declining. Lack of modern agricultural practices, limited access to quality seeds and other inputs, and reduced availability of irrigation water are among the major factors of low agricultural production.”

Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr Azeem Khan pointed to the challenges faced over the past 10 months. “The previous year was a crisis year all over the world and especially in Pakistan, as we experienced several kinds of threats such as the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), the locust attack and heavy rains during the harvest period,” he said. Dr Azeem further explained that Pakistan’s population is growing at a fast pace and that they have to produce more food at affordable prices, in adequate quantities and with nutritious values to ensure their healthy growth.

“During the ongoing pandemic, farming communities were at the frontlines, risking their lives to put food on our plates,” stated Oxfam Country Director Syed Shahnawaz, adding, that the resilience of farmers was already being tested due to climate change impacts and overwhelming economic pressures. But this is now at risk due to the pandemic virus. “We must all work together, to help them against food insecurity and to protect their livelihoods,” he said while stressing the need for solidarity for transforming the resilience of vulnerable communities.

FAO Representative Mina Dowlatchah underscored that there is “no end to hunger without the application of innovation, responsible investment, accessible trade of commodities, empowering women and youth and socioeconomic stability.” Participants of the event agreed that policies, plans and investment need to support food producers in attaining their rights. Further, a collaborative approach by government institutions, UN agencies, international nongovernmental organisations (INGOs), civil society organizations, private sector companies, researchers and other grassroots movements need to invest more in food security and nutrition. Additionally, it was highlighted that to ensure price stability for agricultural produce, easy loan repayment conditions or providing loan waivers, removing restrictions on marketing agricultural produce, ensuring the availability of agricultural inputs.