Health and technology: ‘Quality milk needed to improve nutrition’

There is nutrition crisis because of how we handle resources: UAF VC.

FAISALABAD:

“It is unfortunate that millions of people across the country do not get pure quality milk despite the fact that Pakistan is one of largest milk producing countries in the world,” said University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Iqrar Ahmad Khan on Wednesday.

He was talking to participants of an international symposium titled Technological and Nutritional Aspects of Value Added Dairy Products arranged by the National Institute of Food Sciences and Technology (NIFSAT).



The vice chancellor said waste of milk during packaging should be avoided.

“Only five per cent of milk in the country is packaged. The rest is handled informally and is bad for consumption,” he said.

He said there were 70 million goats and buffaloes in the country but benefits of the large livestock holding over was not reaching the consumers.

The VC said the country was facing a nutrition crisis.

“This is not entirely because of poor purchasing power. It is also because of the way we handle our resources,” he said.

He said climate change posed a serious threat to food security.

“Environment stainability is a huge challenge,” he said.

He appreciated the steps being taken by the government and international donors in development projects, research and outreach programmes at the UAF.

Counsul for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs at Embassy of France, Martine Herlem Hamidi, said Pakistan was facing severe food insecurity.

She said climate change could destroy lives of billions of people across the world and steps should be taken by governments to avoid calamity.

Government College for Women University Vice Chancellor Naureen Aziz Qureshi said the food sector needed to be developed to improve nutrition and help in poverty alleviation.

She said steps were needed to end adulteration and increase production.

NIFSAT Director General Masood Sadiq Butt stressed the need to take measures to the curtail gawala system.

He said promotion of cheese could help mitigate malnutrition.

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