Fakhar Reaffirms Govt's Resolve To Achieve Zero Hunger, SDGs

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Sep, 2021 ) :Minister of National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam on Thursday reaffirmed the government's resolve for achieving zero hunger and other Sustainable Development Goals by bringing diversification in agriculture sector and establishing robust partnership and coalitions.

Addressing the United Nations�States Food Systems Pre�Summit 2021, Imam said that Pakistan was facing food and nutritional insecurity challenges for its population of above 215 million.

It is costing us US$ 7.6 billion annually or 3% of our national GDP, he said adding that Pakistan agriculture sector's share in national GDP was 19.2% which was a lifeline of national economy from many perspectives.

Pakistan was blessed with diversified climate and 10 highly productive agro-ecologies available for agriculture production, adding that over 23 million hectares of cultivable land, 1000 km of coastal line with 3 big dams and more than 100 small dams, which signifies that system-based approach was more appropriate to achieve best results.

The minister said that Pakistan also considers UNFSS-2021 as an opportunity to review progress on SDGs and meeting the challenges in achieving zero hunger through establishing robust partnerships and coalitions, adding that it has prepared working papers on all five action tracks through inclusive consultative process and have chalked out action plans to implement its proposed game changing solutions.

Fakhar reaffirmed that Pakistan intended to enhance diversified food production in all agro-ecologies, minimizing post-harvest losses and promoting kitchen gardening and promoting value chains. Furthermore, Pakistan also wants to promote organic farming, cultivation of green manure crops, use of resource conservation technologies, build the capacity of all stakeholders and the SMEs.

it also focus on building resilience through devising innovative site-specific technologies, he said adding that the underlying intention was to shift our consumers from staple cereals dominated diets to sustainable diversified and healthy consumption patterns.

The minister also apprised the forum that government has set-up agriculture innovation fund and appreciated great support from the international development partners including FAO, GAIN, IFAD and WFP.