A3 48.6% Pakistanis Suffer from Food Insecurity 80 Districts out of 131 Have Inadequate Food: Moot Told by Amar Guriro
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Daily Times Friday, June 7, 2013 NATIONAL NEWS | A3 48.6% Pakistanis suffer from food insecurity 80 districts out of 131 have inadequate food: moot told By Amar Guriro ISLAMABAD: State of food security in Environmental protection Pakistan has deteriorated since 2003. The condi- tions for it are inadequate in 80 out of 131 dis- linked to food security tricts of Pakistan. About 48.6 percent of Pakistanis do not have access to sufficient food KARACHI: Saving environment would help for an active and healthy life. the society in sustaining food security and saving This was stated by CEO Society for population from poverty and hunger, said Conservation and Protection of Environment speakers of a moot here organised by Sindh (SCOPE) Tanveer Arif while speaking at the Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) in launching ceremony of Alliance Against Hunger collaboration with Food Science and Technology and Malnutrition (AAHM), organised by SCOPE Department (FSTD), University of Karachi. The in collaboration with Oxfam, International Land participants of the seminar emphasised the Coalition, Oxfam GROW Campaign and Drynet importance of food security and the challenges at a local hotel here on Thursday. faced as a consequence of climate change. SCOPE's CEO said food prices had also led Statistics indicated, poverty, water and to an adverse impact on health and nutrition in environment in addition to disasters and conflicts hour various ways as poorer food consumption as the reasons behind food insecurity. Pesticide to ensure increases malnutrition, which in turn heightens resistance leading to increase in insects, mites, they have susceptibility to disease; both may lead to higher plant diseases and weeds were mentioned as food security. mortality rates. growing problems faced by agricultural workers. Elisa Pozzi of He said Pakistan lags behind in infant mor- Geography Department's Jamil Kazmi gave a Asia Representative AAHM Secretariat tality rate (at 63 per 1000 live births) and the presentation on "land degradation and food also called for making hectic efforts to under 5 years mortality rate (at 86.5 per 1000 security", discussing Karachi, pointing towards ensure food security and malnutrition. live births). "These indicators continue to remain increasing number of mouths to be fed as a result Jean Luc-Siblot of WFP Rep high mainly on account of unhealthy dietary of land use mishandling. Assistant Director SEPA Pakistan said that effective measures are habits, waterborne diseases, malnutrition and Azhar in his presentation "How to utilise Food required to provide food security in rapid population growth." waste" focused on the various categories of Pakistan. He said that food security He said FATA has the highest percentage of municipal waste. The integrated food waste should be ensured in all regions of the food insecure population at 67.7 percent, fol- management hierarchy was discussed, country through a positive approach. lowed by Balochistan 61.2 percent and Khyber mentioning the "4 R's", that is "Reduce, Reuse, Javeria, Oxfam Novib, said that her Pakhtunkhwa 56.2 percent. Among the districts, Recycle, Recovery". Secretary Environment and organisation is making hectic efforts for food Dera Bugti in Balochistan has the highest per- Alternate Energy Inamullah Dharejo was the security and farmers rights. She said that cli- centage 82.4 percent of food insecure people. chief guest, and oher speakers included Director mate change would affect food production in "Balochistan has the highest number of dis- General SEPA Naeem Ahmed Mughal and Pakistan in future; therefore, we will have to tricts with worst food insecurity. The 20 districts Chairman FSTD Dr Abida Hasnain. PPI lobby for implementation of food and agricul- of Pakistan with worst conditions for food secu- ture policies. There is also a need to help farm- rity include 10 districts from Balochistan, 5 from and 5.4 percent in the 1980s," he concluded. ers, particularly women peasants, especially in FATA; 3 from KPK; and 1 from Gilgit Baltistan Additional Secretary Abdul Basit Khan said terms of corruption and high transportation (GB) and Sindh each. that there is need to make joint efforts for dis- rates causing food price hike in Pakistan. Over the past 20 years there has been little cussing food insecurity and malnutrition issues Mohammad Azeem Khan, DG NARC, change in the prevalence of malnutrition in the in Pakistan. "Food security is not only related to said that food insecurity is a multidimen- population despite more food availability and an poor people only but it is the issue linked to all sional issue; and joint efforts by all stake- overall increase in caloric intake per capita. others too. There is no headway yet in food secu- holders are required to tackle it. "We are He said that in Pakistan, large family size is rity and malnutrition issues in Pakistan which is also facing the issue of malnutrition, while forced to spend 46 percent of the family income a matter of great concern." He said more and heavy use of pesticides and fertilisers are on food while the food expenditures in India are more efforts are required to tackle these issues. affecting food quality." 35 percent and the US 7 percent. It is ironic that Aslam Shaheen, Chief Nutrition, Planning Asking for a need to check food flood- around one third of the world's food is never Commission of Pakistan, said that 48 percent ing in markets, he said ensuring availabili- eaten, that is 1.3 billion tonnes, which is thrown households are food insecure in Pakistan, ty of quality food is necessary. away or left to rot every year. while 45 districts are severely affected by Dr Nomina, a representative of FAO, "In order for economic growth to enhance the food insecurity. Government intends to stressed the need to develop coordination nutrition of the neediest, the poor must partici- improve food security but we are facing chal- among stakeholders to ensure food securi- pate in the growth process and its benefits. In lenges of climate change, population growth, ty and required malnutrition. She said that Pakistan food security is linked to agriculture, food inflation and lack of coordination among AAHM would try to build ties with gov- which is the backbone of economy, as it provides stakeholders. Changes in food crop produc- ernment, the UN and NGOs. employment to 45 percent of total population and tion due to climate change are affecting Zaffar Sabri, Group Head, Pakistan input for agro-based industry. Agriculture sector demand and supply of food. It also affects Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), said recorded a growth of 3.1 percent against 2.4 per- overall agriculture growth, he added. that more people die of hunger than TB, cent last year. He said agriculture is a key sector Iftikhar Ahmed Khalid of Oxfam Pakistan Malaria and other diseases. Planet has of the economy and accounts for 21 percent of said we are introducing Alliance to make enough food but not everyone has GDP. Agriculture has lost significant growth efforts for food security and sufficient malnu- access to sufficient food. Access to food momentum as slowed down to 2.7 percent in the trition required for people. People are suffering and energy is mandatory for public wel- decade of 2000s as against 4.4 percent in 1990s from disasters, therefore, it is the need of the fare, he concluded. Zardari lauds Samina on PML-N in two minds historic achievement about Musharraf ISLAMABAD: President Asif By Tanveer Ahmed relations with them. N chief, Saudi diplomats took tenure. Ali Zardari Thursday said the In its wake, Mian Nawaz up this issue. Implementation of article 6 whole nation was proud of the ISLAMABAD: With mounting Sharif, the newly elected The ranks of PML-N are and trial of Pervez Musharraf young woman mountaineer pressure from national and Prime Minister, gave a smiling also worried about Musharraf under article 6 of the Samina Baig for her historic international powers to rescue gesture the other day when issue with reference to Sharif’s Constitution for abrogating the achievement to summit the the former military dictator, Mahmood Khan Achakzai visit to Saudia Arabia in next constitution solely rests with world’s highest mountain, Pakistan Muslim League- demanded the drama of trying few days where he would be the federal government that is Everest, and also for introducing Nawaz (PML-N) is in a Musharraf only under Article 6 seeking Saudis’ help to resolve now led by the PML-N. The Pakistani women as a symbol of quandary over dealing the mat- of the Constitution should be energy crisis in Pakistan that caretaker government declined talent and great potential. The ter of general retired Pervaiz stopped. “All those abetted in has gone from bad to worse. to pursue this case by contend- president was speaking to the two Musharraf, Daily Times learnt a military coup and validated it The Saudi oil supply on ing it has no such mandate young Pakistani mountaineers on Thursday. should be brought to justice if deferred payment is very much except to conduct the general from Gilgit-Baltistan, Samina Sources privy to the issue article 6 is to be implement- needed in the current energy elections. Baig and her brother Mirza Ali confided to this scribe that ed”, Achakzai believed. crisis and new PML-N govern- Sources said that PML-N who along with Gilgit-Baltistan PML-N was also seeking a way- When Achakzai made this ment has the sole option of this leadership was cautious to say LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chairing Energy Conference. Chief Minister Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah out as it could not infuriate the demand, the consequent smile facility to provide immediate any thing publicly on Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Senator Ishaq Dar, Nisar Ali Khan, Shahid called on him at the Presidency.