Food security is common concern for all the messes, it is imperative to review the agriculture policy and develop long-term plans to meet food requirement.

Average crops yield in Pakistan has been stagnant for the last 10 years while the population has increased significantly, widening the gap between demand and supply of essential food items, increasing the agriculture produce many fold, there is a need for the genetic improvement and development of new varieties and proper management of water resources to increase yield per acre, Mahfooz Elahi, President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) has said, addressing the business community. 

He urged the government to take some solid measures to end the water shortage crisis and provide maximum credit and inputs to the farmers that would lead to rapid development of agriculture in Pakistan and would help to ensure food security at all the levels.

ICCI President said that last year Pakistan has been received the highest grant of more than Euro 50 million for improving food security of the rural people on sustainable basis. Government should invest in agriculture research projects if it is serious about ensuring food security in the country, he opinioned. 

He was reacting to the reports that 80 of 131 districts in Pakistan have inadequate food security. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts among the federal and provincial research institutions including universities and national agriculture research system for enhancing yield in the country.

Mahfooz Elahi was of the view that Pakistan was facing water shortage problem because no big dam and water reservoir had been built by the successive governments since 3 decades. More availability of water through dams would ensure food security of the country, he maintained.

To mitigate the impact of food inaccessibility to poor and vulnerable segments of the society, Government should mobilize the indigenous resources and control the soaring prices of essential food items aimed to ensure food security, ICCI President emphasized.

He further said that the climate change has emerged as a serious challenge to sustainability of agricultural production and achieving food security. Without addressing climate change issues, ensuring food security would remain inaccessible, he added.