ISLAMABAD – Speakers at a workshop here Tuesday stressed the need for enhancing per acre crop productivity at par with the developed world by increasing investment in agriculture research to address the food security issues.
A week long workshop on “Food Security Situation in South Asia: Problems and Prospects is being organized by the SAARC human Resource Development Center aiming to bring together the researchers and practitioners and facilitate a dialogue on key issues of food security situation in the SAARC region.
Besides, the objective of the course is to analyze scope for regional cooperation in devising policies related to pricing, procurement and trade of major foodstuffs in the member states to lead greater food security in the region.
The outcomes of the course are likely to suggest specific and realistic strategies and programs for regional colloboration for mitigating food insecurity in the region. About 30 participants and resource persons from the member countries including Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka Bhutan are attending the workshop.
Addressing the participants, Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC). Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said that Pakistan has sufficient food for its domestic consumptions and has surplus quantity available in all major crops including wheat, rice and maize.
He said that issue of food distribution is required to ensure access to food facility for women and children in the country by developing proper mechanism.
The mal-distribution of food was existing within the family as women population are provided less balanced diet as compared with the men adding that awareness needed for proper diet distribution.
Addressing the participants, Director HRDC, Riffat Ayesha said that poverty, hunger, and mal-nutrition are prevailing in most parts of the world especial in SAARC region where about 39 percent of the world’s poor live and has the highest incidence 43 percent of poverty.
She said that due to lack of knowledge about nutritious food, health facilities and hygiene, the south Asia has the highest level of mal-nourished population which was also affecting negatively to their output.
The SAARC members states account 22 percent of total population of the world and their agriculture production is on high risk resulting from high variations in weather, she added.
She said that the training course will help to address key issues of food security and analyses the scope for regional cooperation in devising policies and programs for better food security situation in the region.