Cross-Ministerial meeting concludes with statement of intent
Government Representatives, private sector, civil society, academia, donor agencies and development partners attending a high-level roundtable meeting in Islamabad on 28 March 2019 discussed the need to reposition food systems to deliver healthier diets and help address the multiple malnutrition challenges in Pakistan. Going forward, they
Recognise that:
- Poor quality diets are a major contributor to Pakistan’s high burden of malnutrition, and hinder the health, social and economic prosperity of Pakistan.
- Food systems need to be repositioned to promote diets that are healthy, safe, affordable and accessible.
- Stakeholders in every part of the food system, from agricultural production, to the storage, transport, processing and sale of food, as well as those responsible for influencing consumer choice, have a role to play.
- Cross-Government action is required to define policies that move food systems from simply delivering food, to enabling healthy diets for all.
- Effective dialogue between government, private sector, academia, civil society is essential to develop forward-thinking solutions.
Have committed to:
- Review their existing policies to identify actions to positively influence food systems to deliver higher quality diets, building on the evidence presented at the meeting[1].
- Clarify, and consider options, to strengthen food systems and nutrition governance in Pakistan.
- Reconsider how agricultural support policies can best be utilised to encourage the production and consumption of a wider variety of nutritious foods.
- Explore how the private sector can be incentivised to support the delivery of safe, affordable and accessible foods, that contribute to a healthy diet.
Signatories:
- Kanwal Shauzab (MNA), Parliamentary Secretary for M/of PD&R
- A. Haida, Planning & Development Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Dr Baseer Khan Achakzai, Director of Nutrition, Ministry of NNSRC, G.O.P.
- Dr Khawaija M. Ahmed, National Coordinator, Nutrition and National Fortification Alliance, M/of NHSR&C
- Dr Javed Humajun, M/of Natural Food Security & Research
- Dr M. Azeem Ichan, Food Security & Climate Change, Planning Commission
- Abid Husseni Quresh, Director, Agriculture Sensitive Nutrition Project, Agriculture Department
- Aminah Jahangi, Aga Khan Foundation
- Finbarr Curran, WFP
- Farrukh Toirov, Deputy Representative, FAO
- Dr Noureen Nishtar, WHO
- Ategbo Eric-Aloih, UNICEF
- Shabbir Goraya, Programme Coordinator, SUN
- Shehgad Afzel, Nutrition International
- Dr John M. Ashley, Programme for Improved Nutrition in Sindh, PINS1 – EU
- Zahra Ladhani, Programme for Improved Nutrition in Sindh, PINS1 – EU
- Dr Irshad Danish, Steering Group Member, SUN-CSN/Nutrition International
- Dr Umar Farooq, Member (SSD), PARC
- Abdul Wajid Rana, Programme Leader, IFPRI
- Amma Ejaz, IFPRI
- Iqrar Ahmad Khan, CAS – AFS
- ShandanaKhan, CEO, RSP Network
- Khalid Saleem Mahk, Pakistan Poultry Association
- Wajid Swati, Utility Stores Corporation
ABOUT THE HIGH-LEVEL ROUNDTABLE