Secretary Agriculture Capt (Retd) Muhammad Mahmood has said that transforming food system of the country is vital for strengthening the food system and food security. He was speaking after inaugurating Pakistan Sub-National Food System Dashboard launched by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) in collaboration of PARC, FAO, WFP, IFAD, Johns Hopkins University, and the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University with the leading role of GAIN-Pakistan. The event was attended by high level govt officials, heads of development partners including FAO, WFP, IFAD, CABI, ADB, CIMMYT, CABI, and other international organization, media personnel, and agricultural scientists.Muhammad Mahmood took keen interest in various sections of the dashboard and appreciated efforts of all stake holders for their role in developing this dashboard and advised the scientists to maintain it on sustainable bases and to draw meaningful inferences from available data. He also advised PARC scientists to develop Pakistan Food Outlook biannually using data of the dashboard.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman, PARC Ghulam Muhammad Ali highlighted PARC contribution in strengthening Pakistan Food System. He apprised the efforts of all stakeholders and development partners especially GAIN, FAO and WFP for their contribution in developing this prototype Sub-national Food System Dashboard. Country heads GAIN, FAO, IFAD, WFP and others ensured their technical and financial support to PARC for maintaining and updating this dashboard. Representative from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics also endorsed their role in provision of relevant data timely for further strengthening the Dashboard. Dr. Sadiq Afridi, Member Social Sciences, PARC ensured to expand scope of the dashboard horizontally and vertically to bring this dashboard at par with other developed countries.

A diverse range of participants from government, academia, research, civil society organisations, and the development sector participated in the event. Key representatives highlighted the importance of the Pakistan Subnational Food Systems Dashboard in bridging the evidence gap in the country by collecting national and local (city/district) data across a range of key food systems indicators to support stakeholders with the data they need to better understand and take actions for national, provincial, and local food systems. Leading partners from the federal government and development partners agreed that the way forward is a commitment to using data and evidence for decision-making, policy formulation and multi-sectoral collaboration to transform Pakistan’s food systems. The Pakistan Sub-national Food Systems Dashboard holds the potential to track the progress and accountability of action plans that support food systems transformation, support policymakers in strengthening the country's policy landscape, and ultimately benefit people at risk of hunger, malnutrition, economic and climate shocks, and environmental degradation.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)