ISLAMABAD – Since millions of Pakistanis are faced with food insecurity, the government is aware of the challenges that confront it, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said in his message on the occasion of World Food Day which was observed on October 16.
“The food insecurity caused by high food prices is an issue that, unfortunately, is faced by millions in Pakistan,” he said, adding “the World Food Day 2011 under the theme “Food Prices – From Crisis To Stability”, highlights the growing trends of high food prices and its impact on the most vulnerable.”
“Pakistan has experienced high volatility in food prices, particularly in the last two years, after the devastating floods that have washed away standing crops, eroded thousands of acres of agricultural land and critically impacted the farming community in the country”, he added. He said, “the global phenomena of climate change, high costs of energy, environmental degradation and increased frequency of weather shocks are the major challenges that Pakistan faces along with the global world.”
“Increased linkage between energy and agriculture is yet another major factor for food price rise,” he added. In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari said the government had accorded high priority to agriculture to ensure food security and creating new job and income opportunities for rural population. He said this year’s theme was most relevant to countries with agro-based economies like Pakistan facing multiple challenges of stagnancy in agricultural productivity, high population growth, water shortage, land degradation, climate change and in our case the devastation of agriculture by recurring floods. NNI