ISLAMABAD: Australian will provide one million dollars to Pakistan and World Food Programme (WFP) to improve nutrition and attain food security by fortifying food in Pakistan. The announcement was made after the official launch of a strategy, supported by the WFP Pakistan, the National Fortification Alliance and the Ministry of National Health Services on Thursday. The strategy aims to design key actions for overcoming the micronutrient deficiencies in Pakistan known as ‘hidden hunger.’ The plan states that the addition of vitamins and minerals to common foods is an effective, affordable and safe measure to lower the burden of micronutrient deficiencies. Speaking on the occasion, National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Minister Saira Afzal Tarar endorsed the strategy and acknowledged the efforts of the Australian government, the NFA and WFP Pakistan. She said that the interventions proposed in the food fortification strategy are in line with the government’s priorities to improve status of nutrition for its people. The minister said that the ministry is closely working with its valued partners to eliminate hunger, attain food security and improve nutrition by achieving the sustainable development goal. Australia’s Acting High Commissioner Jurek Juszczyk said that the Australian government has been supporting the national and provincial fortification alliances of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh since June 2015. He said that the support is being extended for another year. Pakistan WFP Country Director Finbarr Curran said that the wide-ranging food fortification strategy will have a positive and long term impact on the economic development of Pakistan.