The 2022 World Food Day (WFD) theme is ‘Leave No One Behind’. The significance of the WFD 2022 increases because the world population is facing food security challenges since the onset of Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, rising inflation and aggravating global tensions.
No region will be spared from the economic crisis. The European countries are more at risk due to their dependence on Russian oil and gas, and the situation will worsen as winter intensifies.
The economic consequences will be felt bitterly by the rising commodity prices and multiplying inflationary trends. The impact of Ukraine-Russia war will be evident on fuel, food and finance (3F) import dependent countries.
According to the UN-FAO estimates 828 million people in 2021 faced hunger. This shows the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of ending hunger, food security and malnutrition by 2030 might be difficult to achieve. The seventh Global Hunger Index GHI 2022 reflects multiple challenges, specifically eastern Europe crisis, and the subsequent knock-on effect on food and fuel supplies. It seems the crisis is turning into a catastrophe for many developing economies that are already pushed hard by the debt crisis. The 2022 GHI ranks Pakistan 99th out of the 121 countries which signifies the serious level of hunger in the country.
Pakistan is the fifth most populous country. In a population of approximately 230 million, about 40 person people are trapped in poverty. The country is facing grim economic challenges and stringent IMF conditions to avoid economic default. These challenges include rising climate change impact, food insecurity, record-high inflation, current account deficit, balance of payment crisis, shrinking foreign exchange reserves – and most significantly climate change, which is causing the food security crisis.
This is the right time for rational actions -- to revitalize the ignored agricultural sector to address food insecurity concerns. An integrated agricultural model should be applied to transform the potential of agri-business into industry.
The recent torrential floods hit Balochistan and Sindh the hardest. More severe than the 2010 floods, this year’s monsoon rains have led to loss lives, wiped out agricultural crops, perished livestock, damaged public and private properties, and ravaged communication infrastructures. The country received about 391mm of rains between July to August which is around 190 percent more than 30 years average. Sindh got 466 percent more rain than its average.
Climate change is a terrible reality for Pakistan. According to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, “I have seen many disasters around the world, but I have never seen climate carnage of this scale. It is a question of justice, Pakistan is paying the price of something that was created by others,".
Pakistan has consistently ranked among the top 10 most vulnerable countries on Climate Riks Index (CRI).
Presently, it is challenging for the people and the government of Pakistan to cope with global warming and climate carnage.
With one-third of the country submerged, 33 million people displaced, approximately 1,600 lives lost, 1.8 million houses damaged, 750,223 livestock lost, and more than 2 million acres of crops damaged, the accrued estimated loss in US dollars accounts for more than $10 billion which is an astronomical amount for any unstable economy like Pakistan.
Despite being one of the lowest carbon emitters in the world, Pakistan is facing the immense impact of extreme weather rage. Incidents of heat waves, droughts, floods, and glacial melt are expected to intensify. These will create further food insecurity, public health nightmares, large-scale internal displacements, and migrations to overstretched and unplanned urban areas.
This is the right time for rational actions -- to revitalize the ignored agricultural sector to address food insecurity concerns. An integrated agricultural model should be applied to transform the potential of agri-business into industry. The agriculture policy framework and land reforms should be reoriented by decision makers. The potential of small landholders and the role of large farmland tenants ought to be reviewed. The existing laws, regulations and ordinances should strictly be implemented. The available resources either human or natural should be well utilized for optimum results. Moreover, neutral monitoring and accountability mechanism need to be put in place.