Right to food: Food security crucial for socio-economic growth: Ahsan Iqbal

Says Vision 2025 targets to reduce malnutrition by 50 per cent


Our Correspondent December 17, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Experts have said that tackling food insecurity and malnutrition is vital for the country’s economic and social development.

They were speaking at a seminar on “Poverty, Consumption, Food Security, and Malnutrition in Pakistan” at the Planning Commission on Monday.

“Malnutrition reduces learning capabilities of children which compromise economic productivity in the long run. Pakistan Vision 2025 targets to reduce malnutrition up to 50 per cent,” said Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal at the seminar.

He said the government was committed to addressing poverty, malnutrition and food insecurity through joints efforts with the provinces. “A mechanism is being established by the Planning Commission to coordinate with business community, academia, and the civil society to address these issues,” the minister said.

He said that government targets to increase spending on health to three per cent of the GDP and is developing understanding of the health value chain in partnership with provinces and general public. “The government joined the UN scaling up nutrition (SUN) movement in 2013 to combat malnutrition based on the principle that all people have a right to food and good nutrition. A Zero Hunger Cell has been established in the Ministry of National Food, Security and Research in collaboration with the World Food Programme to overcome hunger and malnutrition,” said a statement issued by the ministry.

While acknowledging the role of poverty as a trigger to malnutrition, the planning minister said that, “Vision 2025 encapsulates social protection policy which is aimed at reducing poverty, creating employment opportunities and strengthening marginalised people’s capabilities to mitigate their risk and vulnerability. To meet these objectives, government’s income support programme has been expanded in size and scope.

The Benazir Income Support Programme has already extended services by providing additional financial support for each child in school.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2014.

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