ISLAMABAD: The experts at a seminar on Tuesday underscored that effective policies must be designed to tackle nutritional challenges.
The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and GAIN organised a seminar on food security challenges faced by the country here at the PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, said a press release.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Executive Director, SDPI Qasim Shah, initiated the session by highlighting SDPI’s role in food policy and advocacy, noting that it is ranked 52nd among global think tanks and 76th among food security research institutes.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by Pakistani youth, a good percent of whom are unprivileged to reach at the university level. He emphasized the importance of involving educated youth to pursue research in precision agriculture and explore the opportunities in the application of Agriculture in Artificial intelligence promoting smart agriculture in assuring food security.
Head of Policy and Advocacy (GAIN) Faiz Rasoo
l said the food systems involve a wide range of actors, from those who grow and harvest to those who process, distribute, and consume food and agricultural commodities. These systems, which form a complex loop of diverse stakeholders, are significantly influenced by government policies and climate change, he added.
‘Youth and women are crucial to the backbone of these systems. However, Pakistan lags in sustainable development goals due to insufficient investment in food and nutrition. The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) collaborates with organizations like the United Nations General Assembly and the World Health Organization to address these issues,’ he said.
‘Effective policies must be designed to tackle nutritional challenges, yet Pakistan lacks a National Nutritional Policy. The existing food security policy does not adequately highlight the roles of youth and women in nutrition and food. GAIN’s adolescent nutritional strategies emphasize the shift in dietary preferences from a young age an
d the role of junk food in children’s diets, leading to nutritional deficiencies. These strategies show how various food systems can regulate consumption,’ he said.
In Pakistan, he said it is crucial to create a demand for safe, healthy, and nutritious food, improve economic and physical accessibility to such food, and foster an environment that supports these goals. Working with ministries and policymakers to allocate public financing is essential. Childhood stunting, obesity, and diabetes are major issues contributing to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country.
Tariq Mukhtar Dean (Agriculture) of Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi noted that every 15 children in the age group of five die daily, and 47 percent of women suffer from iron deficiency causing anemia leaving both children and women significantly undernourished.
Additionally, he said organizations like GAIN and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) are actively working in policy-making and advocacy to promote nutritious
food in Pakistan.