Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan ranks 88th out of 107 countries in the Global Hunger Index while food security and nutrition crisis is expected to worsen in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic because country has a serious hunger level. Among countries in the developing world, Pakistan faces one of the most severe crises of malnutrition, which is the fundamental cause of child morbidity and mortality.
These are the finding of the “2020 Global Hunger Index & Strategy for Stakeholders’ Engagement on Food and Nutrition Security 2021– 2025 report launched by Alliance 2015 a strategic network of leading eight European non-government and non-profit organizations engaged in humanitarian and development actions in Pakistan and the world — via ZOOM Webinar on Wednesday in Islamabad.
Addressing the webinar, State Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said that the current ranking of Pakistan with regard to hunger index is not encouraging but it is the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to bring people out of poverty.
“Food security has direct relationship with climate change. The government has introduced climate smart technology in South Punjab and Sindh to improve agricultural production,” Zartag Gul said.
Dr. Abid Qayyum Suleri, Executive Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, said that the report highlights that the worsening food and nutrition security situation retarded human and economic development and carried the risk of jeopardizing national security if it was not tackled well by government, private sector, civil society, media, public, communities, and academia and research institutions, the report pointed out..
The participants of the webinar included H.E Julien Harneis, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Pakistan, Bernard Jasper Faijer, Head of Mission, ECHO Pakistan, Chris Kaye, Country Director, UN-WFP, Shahid Fazal, Nutrition and Food Policy/Strategy Consultant, Dr. Irshad Danish, Advocacy Advisor, Nutrition International, SUN-CSA, Aisha Jamshed, WHH Country Director, Farhan Ahmed Khan, Cesvi Head of Mission, Miriam Wiemers, Expert, Global Hunger Index and Member WHH Global Policy and Advocacy Team, Dr. Arjumand Nizami, Country Director, Helvetas, Dr. Shadab Fariduddin, Policy Analyst/Consultant, Mr. Muhammad Nasir, Manager, SUN Business and others
