MULTAN - Stakeholders and experts at a National Course Design Workshop have successfully developed the curriculum content for undergraduate and postgraduate students by integrating principles of food systems transformation.
The workshop titled ‘Food System Transformation & adopting the Food Systems Dashboard’ discussed curriculum development on ‘Food System Transformation & adopting the Food Systems Dashboard’ as a food systems data platform.
The new courses on ‘Food System Transformation’ in Pakistani universities were introduced due to the partnership between NAEAC, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Pakistan.
This initiative aligns with the government of Pakistan’s commitment to achieving SDGs and emphasizes the importance of education in ensuring food security for vulnerable populations.
The workshop successfully finalised the curriculum modules, aligning them with national priorities and international standards by integrating food systems transformation principles into higher education.
Saqib Ali Ateel, Secretary of Agriculture for South Punjab, commended the incorporation of climate change and environmental concerns into the course content. He emphasised the importance of block-chain and Artificial Intelligence in modern food systems and agriculture, stating that their inclusion in the curriculum will enable the training of future generations to meet evolving needs.
Earlier, chairperson NAEAC Dr Fayyaz-ul-Hassan appreciated the support of course design experts across the country for their consensus on the course content and stated this workshop is important in light of the fact that we are just a few months away from the start of the Fall 2024 semester and our goal is to incorporate all of these courses in Fall 2024 semester of the national universities as a part of the approved curriculum.
Faiz Rasool, Head of Policy and Advocacy, GAIN, provided a brief snapshot of the global and national perspectives on food system transformation. He critically analysed the challenges of food security at global and national levels, indicating the importance of including education system in transforming food systems in Pakistan. According to him, the development of these courses is a critical aspect of transforming the food system and aligning national policies with the international commitment that Pakistan made during United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021. Faiz Rasool further announced that GAIN, with support from NAEAC, will also train 250 students on the Pakistan Food System Dashboard through a comprehensive internship programme.