Food insecurity

Food insecurity has been recognized as one of the causes of militancy in the world. Pakistan, being one of the lowest countries on the Food Security Risk Index, is vulnerable to this threat. Pakistan is an agricultural country and self-reliant in producing major crops for its population. However, more than 90 million people in Pakistan are food insecure and the number may increase in the coming years. According to the 2018 agriculture census carried out by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the majority of the country’s population lives in rural areas and earns a living from agricultural activities. The problem of food crises has led many to believe that issues of food security are not merely food production issues but food availability issues as well.

In Pakistan physical and economic access as well as poor health is a major constraint to overcome food insecurity. Moreover, the rate of growth of population in Pakistan is much higher than in other developed or even developing countries. This

has led to an increased demand for residential places as well as commercial enterprise. Therefore, agricultural land has been converted to residential and commercial places. Pakistan can turn into a food secure country if the government makes it the top priority.

Hadia Aziz

Islamabad