Pakistan Tells UN Panel Steps Being Taken To Ensure Food Security

Pakistan told a panel of the 2023 UN Water Conference, which opened in New York Wednesday, that steps were being taken for efficient use of water to ensure food security and to achieve the goal of clean water and sanitation for all

UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2023 ) :Pakistan told a panel of the 2023 UN Water Conference, which opened in New York Wednesday, that steps were being taken for efficient use of water to ensure food security and to achieve the goal of clean water and sanitation for all.

"Over the last few decades, Pakistan has drastically changed from being a water abundant country to a water-stressed country," Hasan Nasir Jamy, head of a four-member Pakistani delegation, told a side-event for the launch of 'Global Water Analysis Laboratory (GloWal) Network''.

Jamy, who is Secretary for Water Resources, said it was estimated that down the road Pakistan could become a water-scarce country.

Co-hosted by the Netherlands and Tajikistan, the three-day conference is being portrayed by UN experts as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate progress towards universal access to safe water and sanitation by 2030.

It also marks the halfway point through the International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development", adopted by the UN General Assembly on World Water Day � 22 March 2018 � to help put a greater focus on water.

In his remarks, the Pakistan chief delegate said that with growing population, there was a dire need to increase the agriculture production to ensure food security. To increase agriculture production, he said, land was not a limiting factor in Pakistan, as fertile land was abundant, but limiting factors were availability and quality of water.

With the agriculture sector using over 95% of available water, Jamy said the key to food security lies with efficient use of available water resources, noting last August's devastating floods in Pakistan that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, after a solidarity visit, had described as "climate catastrophe".

"We consider that it is imperative to adapt proper strategies to mitigate the climate change effects by adopting sustainable practices for water resource management," the Pakistan chief delegate said.

Drawing attention to Pakistan's Vision 2025, Jamy said it addressed the issue of water security and "aims for increasing water storage capacity, improving agricultural efficiency by 20 percent, and ensuring the availability of clean drinking water to all Pakistanis".

"In order to achieve these targets, it is imperative to synergize the scientific data and develop strategies for sustainable management of water resources." Pakistan, he said, cooperated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on hydrological studies, and with the agency's support, the isotope hydrology laboratory at Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology (PINSTECH) had developed one of the most efficient isotope analytical facilities in the region.

Today's launch of "Global Water Analysis Laboratory (GloWAL) Network" was yet another feat that would certainly uplift the standings of laboratories by enabling enhanced cooperation and collaboration amongst countries, Jamy said, adding that the network could bridge technical gaps, while promoting an appetite for scientific innovation.

"Pakistan looks forward to contribute to this network by leveraging our competencies and available infrastructure. Hopefully, we as a global community, will make every drop of water count."