Peshawar   -   “Agriculture being the biggest employing sector supports Pakistan’s economy and addresses food security challenges while the sector did not improve during the last three decades and was adversely impacted by climate change, urbanization and population growth.”

This was the gist of a report titled ‘Solving the Great Puzzle: Pakistan’ launched during the national multi-stakeholder dialogue on food systems. The event was organised by WWF-Pakistan here Tuesday.

According to the report, an average Pakistani household spends around 50 percent of their monthly income on food, making them particularly vulnerable to shocks including high food prices.

It also indicated that Pakistan has the highest rate of malnutrition in the South Asian region. The report recommends that employing place-based approach, actions may be taken to transform our food systems.

The report revealed that crop yields over recent years have suffered from water availability issues which are expected to worsen over the coming decades.

It also warned that rising population and warmer temperatures resulting from climate change will affect the agriculture sector.

The report recommended steps for transformation of the food system in Pakistan which can be achieved through improvement of natural resource management, enhancement of governance models, promotion of scientific knowledge and increase in public awareness and re-direction of agriculture related subsidies.

It further proposed that large improvements in supply chains and transportation systems are required to reduce food losses and waste which will help ensure food safety and improve production quality.

Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan in his remarks, said that Pakistan was primarily an agrarian economy, but food security was increasingly becoming a concern due to increasing population and climate change vulnerabilities.

He highlighted that the WWF-Pakistan was playing role in creating more sustainable food systems and livelihoods. He further mentioned that the report provided key insights into transforming food systems to ensure food security and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr Saleem Mohsen, Food Commissioner, Ministry of Food Security and Research, government of Pakistan in his opening remarks, appreciated the launch of the report and said that it was pivotal to investigate the intricacies of food systems, particularly within the context of Pakistan.

“We must learn from global best practices and must understand the need for localisation of initiatives to resolve local issues”, he added.

Muhammad Ali Kemal, Chief Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, government of Pakistan in his keynote address, emphasised that achieving sustainable food systems was not only crucial for addressing hunger but should be prioritized for promoting economic growth and combating climate change.

Despite the current progress in agriculture, 37 percent of the country’s population is food insecure, he said and added, we need a multi-faceted approach that improves agricultural practices, addresses technological challenges, improves agricultural policies and enhance supply chain management to transform our food systems.