Pakistan: '' Food security ''

At a centre for treating acute malnutrition in Swat Valley, the United Nations Food Aid chief, Ertharin Cousin revealed on 23rd June, 2013 certain disturbing developments/data about the level of malnutrition in Pakistan. According to her, hunger in Pakistan was at emergency levels after years of conflict and floods but funding had dwindled as new crisis such as in Syria were grabbing donors' attention. Fighting in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan compounded problems caused by three consecutive years of floods that destroyed crops and forced millions of people to abandon their homes. Although most of them had now returned, about half of Pakistan's population still does not have secure access to enough food, up from a little over a third of a decade ago. Fifteen percent of children were severely malnourished and some 40 percent suffered from stunted growth. While malnutrition in Pakistan was increasing, there was a growing concern that international donors would lose interest in the unstable border areas after the withdrawal next year of US-led foreign forces from Afghanistan and certain other factors. The rising cost of refugee crisis in Syria, for instance, meant it was harder to attract funds for Pakistan. North Korea was worst hit by funding shortages due to drop in donations, especially when Pyongyang threatened to launch a nuclear attack on the US. The observations of Ertharin Cousin, in our view, need to be taken seriously and policy shortcomings at the domestic level have to be analysed and removed to ensure food security for maximum number of people in the country. Malnutrition at this level, its concentration in certain areas and assigning the responsibility for food security to UN World Food Programme (WFP) is simply unacceptable. While it could be a matter of life and death for certain people, our policymakers usually give more weightage to macroeconomic indicators like GDP growth rate, fiscal deficit and external sector accounts while formulating policies. For instance, the latest Economic Survey released by the government asserts that the availability of essential food items has been at adequate level to meet national food needs. The estimated average calories derived from cereals, pulses, sugar, milk, meat, eggs and edible oils remained above 2400 calories and protein 70gm per capita per day over the last five years. During 2012-13, food availability per capita was 2460 calories and 72.5gm protein per day. However, the real problem is unequal distribution and availability of food among various sections of society due to unaffordable prices or lack of supplies. Government boasts about National Nutrition Policy, National Zero Hunger Programme, Benazir Income Support Programme, new initiative for management of Severe Acute Malnutrition and Nutrition Surveillance but all such programmes do not seem to be making much headway. In certain areas of the country, the situation is really serious and calls for urgent attention of the policymakers. It needs to be recognised that the national cost of malnutrition is very high. It could result in high death rates, poor quality of life, decreased mental capacity and reduced worker productivity besides hatred towards the government and affluent sections of society, creating a very risky situation. The government could, of course, cannot always afford to look towards UN aid agencies for providing the needed relief because of their pressing engagements in other countries of the world and aid fatigue among the donors. It is good to see that some charitable institutions are doing a wonderful job in the country in this connection but their areas of operations are limited. UN Food Aid chief, in our view, has raised the necessary alarm and it is now up to the Pakistan government to redesign its priorities to reduce hunger and malnutrition to the maximum possible level throughout the country. The areas near the Afghan border and those hit by militancy particularly need special treatment in this respect.