Islamabad, June 14, 2023: The Government of Pakistan has demonstrated its commitment to enhancing access to nutritious food and aligning with global targets set for 2030 by convening a national consultation on the “Pakistan National Food System Transformation Pathway.”
This initiative, titled “Aligning National Practices and Policies for Transforming Pakistan Food Systems,” aims to strengthen the country’s efforts in improving food systems.
The event, organized in preparation for the upcoming “United Nations Food System Summit+2 – Stock Taking Moment-2023,” showcased the government’s dedication to this critical issue. The Chairman of the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) inaugurated the event, which was concluded by Zaffar Hasan, National Convenor for Pakistan, Ejaz Ahmed Bajwa, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research, and Capt. (Retd) Muhammad Asif, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research.
During the technical discussions, Dr. Ghulam Sadiq Afridi, a member of the Social Sciences Division at PARC, and Faiz Rasool, Senior Policy Advisor at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), shared the progress made by the Government of Pakistan. GAIN, in collaboration with FAO, WFP, and IFAD, provided technical assistance for the progress review process on Food System Transformation in Pakistan. Provincial leaders highlighted overall progress, challenges related to climate change, stakeholder engagement, and strategic investments allocated to transform Pakistan’s food systems.
The event witnessed the participation of representatives from federal and provincial governments, the development sector, and various organizations, including Secretary Food Zaman Wattoo, Secretary Agriculture (AJK) Javed Ayub, and Director Generals from provincial food, agriculture, livestock, CSOs, and Consumer Association Network. Country leadership from FAO, IFAD, WFP, and GAIN offered technical insights, emphasizing the importance of all the Action Tracks in transforming food systems.
It is worth noting that poor diets contribute to one in five deaths globally and also contribute to environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, unsustainable water use, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. The “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020” report revealed that approximately three billion people worldwide cannot afford a healthy diet. Addressing these challenges necessitates a transformation in existing food systems.
By convening the national consultation and demonstrating political ownership, Pakistan is taking significant steps to improve nutrition, tackle environmental issues, and pave the way for a sustainable and inclusive food system transformation.
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