Government urged to ensure foodstuff availability in far-flung areas: experts criticise ban on wheat movement

Economic experts at a workshop criticised the inter-provincial ban on wheat movement, that led to food scarcity, and called upon the government to ensure availability of foodstuff in far-flung areas of Balochistan, North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), and Northern Areas.
The workshop, held here on Saturday, was organised by the World Food Program (WFP). Addressing the workshop, social scientists and experts said that food insecurity was at peak in western and northern parts of the country, which are agriculture-deficit areas, as per their topography.
They stressed for change in the attitude among the growers and the consumers to counter the rising food insecurity and malnutrition. The experts observed that last year's surge in wheat prices had added to the woes of low-income groups across the country, making 28 percent of the population food insecure, while the price of wheat was too high in remote parts of the country.
They said that the government and the policy makers only consider how to increase wheat production to enhance food security. Sartaj Aziz criticised the existing state of agriculture sector in the country and said that despite 70 percent irrigated agriculture the growth of the sector was limited to 3 to 4 percent.
"Pakistan needs to conserve water, improve livestock productivity and diversify agriculture to fruits and horticulture," he said, adding that wheat support price should not be increased in the next season, and there was need to reduce the input cost.
"We do not eat roti only," said Dr Kaiser Bengali, adding that it was only a 'filler'. There is a need to increase affordable availability of other food items, including milk and vegetables.
The speakers observed that rising inflation was the key reason for increasing the number of food-insecure population, and called upon the government to ensure availability of foodstuff in far-flung areas of Balochistan, NWFP and the Northern Areas.
Wolfgang Harbinger, of WFP, informed the workshop that a daily wager has the purchasing power to buy 13.7 km wheat in Lahore, up to 10 km in Quetta and other cities of Balochistan, while the same was around 6 km in FATA area. "That is because of high wheat prices in these parts," Harbinger said, adding that inter-provincial trade barriers contributed to food scarcity in many parts of the country.
He said Pakistan needs a system to prevent people from shocks, enhance productivity, and the government should develop programs to improve nutrition intake of masses. Speakers, including researchers, officials and professionals, highlighted that malnutrition in Pakistan is high in the areas where food is available due to eating habits.
They said that Pakistan needs to have a nutrition policy as the cases of non-communicable diseases like blood pressure, cardiac arrest and diabetes are on the rise. Dr Sadiqa Jafery said that the best way to improve the overall health of nation is to create awareness among the masses for a healthy lifestyle, and stressed for healthy motherhood.
Experts highlighted that the country had faced shocks in recent years including earthquake, floods in Balochistan, and the recent IDPs issue had aggravated agriculture and livestock deficiencies in those areas. It was mentioned that almost 30 percent of births in Pakistan are underweight, and breastfeeding is limited to a mere 37 percent in the country. These factors add to creation of a weak nation.