Daily Times

As Pakistan faces mounting challenges in food security, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is stepping up to support local governments with initiatives focused on sustainable agriculture.

FAO Country Representative Florence Rolle in an exclusive interview with APP said, through a range of programs, FAO aims to boost productivity, improve nutrition, and build resilient food systems that offer Pakistanis not only sufficient calories but also healthier diets.

FAO’s strategy for supporting Pakistan is built around sustainable agricultural practices that address core food security issues and promote better nutrition.

Elaborating her organization’s various programmes initiated in Pakistan, she said FAO is enhancing local agriculture by promoting eco-friendly practices that build resilience while improving soil, water management, and biodiversity. These practices increase crop yields and ensure the longevity of Pakistan’s agricultural productivity, she added.

She said that small-scale farmers play a key role in Pakistan’s food production, adding that FAO’s initiatives provide these farmers with resources, training, and knowledge to adopt sustainable methods that protect the environment and boost their productivity.

Florence said FAO emphasizes food production that meets not only caloric needs but also nutritional requirements. By encouraging a diverse crop range, FAO supports the availability of nutrient-rich foods, essential for healthy, balanced diets.

To a question about food safety standards, she said ensuring food safety is vital and FAO collaborates with local governments to develop food safety standards and practices, offering technical assistance on everything from good farming practices to safe post-harvest handling, ensuring food remains safe for consumers.

Florence Rolle said FAO also engages with communities to raise awareness on food safety and nutrition, adding that educating people about nutritious foods and safe consumption practices is a cornerstone of FAO’s approach to building healthier diets.

To a question about Women’s empowering in agriculture, she said recognizing the impact of gender on food security, FAO focuses on empowering women farmers by enhancing their access to resources and roles in decision-making. This helps strengthen food production and promotes better nutrition within families, she added.

She said to make nutritious food available and affordable, FAO supports improved storage and distribution systems that reduce post-harvest losses. This ensures that diverse foods reach markets and consumers effectively, stabilizing prices and availability, she added.

Country Representative said FAO works to promote healthier eating habits through community education on balanced diets and cooking with local ingredients. By promoting dietary guidelines, FAO encourages people to incorporate a variety of foods and sustainable choices into their diets. Through these initiatives, FAO aims to create a sustainable and resilient food system in Pakistan, supporting the country’s efforts to tackle food security while encouraging healthier diets, she added.

The FAO country’s representative said the FAOs’ Agriculture, Climate, and Water (ACWA) Portal Programs in Pakistan are very successful.

This portal, developed under a climate-resilience project, centralizes data for decision-making in response to climate change. It brings together federal and provincial stakeholders, enhancing data analysis and reporting for agricultural planning, she said, adding the portal’s sustainability is supported through consortiums at both the provincial and federal levels, which coordinate efforts across the Planning and Development (P&D) Board, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), and other key agencies.

She said the FAO has established Market Information System in Sindh under an EU-funded project and this system collects and shares market data, improving price monitoring and assessments in Umerkot and Tharparkar.

FAO trained local government officials on data collection and equipped them with the necessary IT tools, which now support regular price updates. The success of this system has attracted interest for broader implementation across Sindh province, she added.

She said FAO’s Surveillance Evaluation Tool (SET) supports Pakistan’s national animal disease surveillance efforts, improving monitoring and response to animal health threats. This tool is a core part of Pakistan’s investment in its National Programme for Animal Disease Surveillance and Control, which strengthens animal health systems nationwide, she added.

She said the FAO-backed project on sustainable harvesting of Chilghoza pines led the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department to expand forest management practices. A new project focuses on sustainable harvesting toolkits and bio-briquette production, aiming to prevent forest degradation and improve local livelihoods, she added.