Daily Times

Participants of a meeting, chaired by Secretary Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Syed Zafar Ali Shah, on Wednesday stressed the need for addressing the post-flood nutrition and food insecurity concerns by taking proactive measures to mitigate the impact of future natural calamities.

The meeting extensively reviewed and discussed the matters related to nutrition and food security, especially after the flood-2022 which caused widespread devastation in the country, a news release said. The meeting, aimed at assessing the current situation, progress made to tackle the confronted issues and future action plans, was attended among others by development partners, provincial planning and development departments, and relevant stakeholders from the health and nutrition sections.

During the meeting, the Chief Nutrition Section highlighted the devastating impact of floods on food production and high inflation causing food shortages in the country. It was reported that nearly 48 per cent of households lost their stored cereal stock due to floods in 2022. “The flooding is expected to result in an additional 7.6 million people experiencing food insecurity, bringing the total number to 14.6 million.” The Secretary Planning reviewed the updates provided by development partners and provincial stakeholders, commending their contributions in dealing with post-flood disaster management initiatives and financial support. He emphasized the government’s key nutrition initiatives, including the BISP Nashonuma Programme, which aimed to tackle stunting among pregnant and lactating women and their children, was currently operational in 152 districts of the country.