Ministry seeks input for food security policy

Organising a workshop to consider views of key stakeholders.

LAHORE: A public-private consultative workshop is being organised on Thursday and Friday to provide key input and assist in formulating a national food and nutrition security policy.

The workshop will highlight the concept of food security in terms of food availability, socio-economic access, food absorption and sustainability.

The Federal Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Punjab, World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), private sector companies Four Brothers Group Pakistan and Kanzo Quality Seed and the Seed Association of Pakistan are organising the discussion.

According to a press release, it is necessary to take the views of private sector in formulating the national policy as it plays an important role in food production, processing, food shipment, import and supply of agricultural inputs and livestock-based exports.

Likewise, policies and programmes are implemented by provincial governments, which are also accorded high priority in preparing the policy.

The federal ministry had earlier organised three workshops in a row to discuss food security, establish a food and nutrition security council and launch National Zero Hunger Programme.

In the drive, the ministry has already provided 125,000 tons of wheat to poor people and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Although the Zero Hunger Programme is in place, financial constraints have come to interrupt it.

The ministry says it has also prepared a bill to establish Food Safety and Plant and Animal Health Regulatory Authority, which is awaiting parliament’s approval.

Punjab has taken the lead in food safety by setting up Punjab Food Authority.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2013.

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