ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a seminar on food systems and the role of women on Friday highlighted the critical need to empower women in transforming food systems to achieve nutrition and food security.
The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) organized a seminar on “The Role of Women in Transforming Food Systems to Achieve Food and Nutrition Security” at PMAS Arid Agriculture University here.
Deputy registrar and assistant professor Dr. Nazia Rafique said on the occasion that saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty and accelerating economic growth are essential goals. The main challenges facing our society today include food security, climate change and women’s empowerment, she added.
Dr. Rafique said solutions to food security, global health and women’s empowerment are interconnected. Health can be achieved through safe and nutritious food that is consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ending hunger by achieving universal food security and improving sustainable agriculture.
“Pakistan’s population, currently 250 million, is expected to grow to 350 million by 2050. Nationally, 70 million tonnes of cooked and prepared food is needed annually, with this demand expected to rise to 130 million tonnes by 2050.
Women play a key role in this system by contributing to cooking, harvesting and even sowing the crops, so they should also be involved in policy making. To keep pace with future demands, food production must increase to 160 to 296 million tons by 2050. Mitigating the risks of climate change is essential to ensure food security,” said Dr. Nazi Rafique.
SDPI Deputy Executive Director Syed Qasim Ali Shah said that according to the Agricultural Labor Force Survey, 77 percent of women contribute to agriculture at the farm level. “Women involved in agriculture often spend more than 50 hours a week on the farm. “Despite their significant contribution, women are paid 35 to 40 percent less than men and are often not paid at all while working on their farms,” he added.
Malnutrition is unfortunately prevalent in the families of these households. In Pakistan, only three percent of agricultural land belongs to women, he said, adding, “The role and contribution of women in agriculture should be recognized and more shares should be given to them”.
Country Director, GAIN, Farah Naz said food systems include growing, producing, harvesting and processing food. In Pakistan, 60 to 70 percent of calories come from staple crops like wheat, which should not be the only component of our diet.
“Women play a key role in agriculture, from farm to fork, especially in vegetable production, cotton picking and rice cultivation. At the policy level, climate-resilient agriculture, income and socio-economic outcomes are the main topics of debate in Pakistan,” she added.
The country faces food availability and purchasing power issues, with iron deficiency leading to anemia and multiple vitamin deficiencies such as vitamins D, A, B12 and others. According to her, health should come first.
Last year, she said Pakistan was ranked 143rd internationally and was falling because the government did not recognize the potential role of farmers as they were not reflected in policies, leading to limited training or capacity building programs for women.
“Women should be given quota based on their contributions and training should be sector and contribution oriented. They should also contribute significantly to policy formation, such as women’s participation in national food system pathways to transform food systems in Pakistan.
A UN study says that including an equal number of women alongside men could increase generative income by $1 trillion. Women in many communities are street vendors who support their families and educating them on healthy eating can help address malnutrition,” she added.
NICB Technical Director Dr. Abida Raza said one-third of food is either lost or wasted. “There is a need to adopt environmentally friendly processing technologies. Malnutrition is also caused by high consumption of processed foods and exclusion of natural fruits, vegetables and dairy products such as yogurts and milk from our daily diet,” she said. She added that the transformation of food systems should focus on innovation in nutrition to ensure food security. Universities should hold multiple trainings to encourage student participation as they can take the message back to their communities.
