Over 60% of Pakistanis cannot afford a healthy diet. This is not merely a statistic buried in a report, it is a stark reflection of everyday reality faced by millions of families who struggle to put nutritious food on the table. For a country already battling widespread malnutrition, this should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, institutions and society alike.
The latest assessment by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations points to a troubling contradiction in Pakistan’s food system. Food is available, yet much of what is produced and consumed does not match what people need for a healthy life. There are shortages of vegetables, fruits, legumes, pulses, roots and tubers, while supply of staples and sugar is higher than what is required for a healthy diet. The consequences are visible in the form of stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies and other forms of under-nutrition, even as obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases are increasing. This situation demands serious attention at every level. The federal and provincial governments must make nutrition a central element of agricultural, economic and social policy. Greater incentives should be given to farmers producing vegetables, fruits, pulses and other nutritious foods, while banning food export and investments in storage, transportation and cold-chain facilities can greatly help bring down food prices and also reduce food losses.
At the same time, social protection programmes must ensure that poor households can actually afford nutritious food. Schools can play an important role through expanded healthy meal programmes and nutrition education. Stronger regulation of marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly to children, along with clear food labelling and appropriate taxation of products high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, is also necessary. We cannot afford to view healthy diets as a privilege for those who can pay more. A healthy population is the foundation of a productive economy and a stable society. The FAO warning should therefore be treated not simply as another assessment, but as an urgent call for coordinated action.
