For the long run: Food insecurity casts pall of uncertainty in the province

Experts warn of dire consequences in case of natural disasters.

PESHAWAR: Successive governments of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have failed to devise a comprehensive food security policy despite the province’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

This was stated by Dr Jehangir Khalil, an expert on food security and former professor of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar. Khalil told The Express Tribune Pakistan is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which binds member countries to provide clean drinking water along with healthy and hygienic food to citizens.

He said food security involves three core steps: productivity, accessibility and food utilisation.



He maintained K-P has the potential to fulfil its own food requirements within its boundaries, but that will only be possible when the provincial government devises a proper food security strategy.

Highlighting vast portions of arable land lying barren in the province, Khalil said: “We should innovatively utilise our land, capital and other resources to ensure food security in the province.”

An official of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation said the international body is supporting various government departments in the food and agriculture sectors.

Wishing not be named, he said the provincial government needs to ensure food security not only with regards to the growing population, but also in case of natural disasters which occur frequently in the region.

The official explained that after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the issue of food security comes under the centre’s domain whereas agriculture, fisheries, livestock, environment and other related departments were made provincial subjects.

He informed that the first draft of legislation on food security at the national level has been prepared and circulated among concerned authorities, but it is yet to go through the enactment process.

Legislation for regulation

K-P Health Department Coordinator Health Sector Reform Unit Dr Muhammad Riaz Tanoli said a food safety authority ordinance was signed by the previous chief minister at the start of 2013 to ensure quality food in the province.

Tanoli said the act is yet to be presented in the K-P Assembly, adding after its enactment, the health department will be able to establish a Food Safety Authority that will solely deal with the issue.

Tanoli said the authority will have 14 members of all concerned departments and will be headed by the K-P additional chief secretary.

He said the authority will regulate food production, packaging, distribution, preservation and all other processes to ensure availably of safe food. He added the authority will chalk out a procedure for setting up and accreditation of food laboratories, licencing and prohibition.

Special Assistant to K-P Chief Minister on Food Qalandar Lodhi said the province produces only 11% of its required food, thus being forced to procure wheat and other essential items from outside the province.

Lodhi said food security is a federal subject at the moment despite which the provincial government is taking measures to ensure safe food. He claimed the government’s inspection teams were regulating food prices in the province for public benefit.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2014.