KP govt would spend Rs 236b over next decade to meet challenges of food security, Kamran Bangash
JAVED KHAN
PESHAWAR
The provincial cabinet on Wednesday approved the first-ever Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Security policy, as the government prepared to tackle the challenges of food availability, accessibility, utilization and stability in the province.
Sharing details of the decisions at a post-meeting news conference, Minister for Information Kamran Bangash said that a provincial food Security Council is being set up under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister and representatives from environment, agriculture, irrigation, industry and other relevant government agencies to review the state of food security and take appropriate policy measures.
Chief Secretary, SMBR, Secretary Agriculture, Secretary Food, Secretary Irrigation, Secretary Forest, representatives from Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture University would be part of the council, Kamran added.
He added that “KP government wants to tackle the challenges of malnourished children and increase the yields of different crops in the province.
“More than 40 percent of children in almost all districts of the province are stunted and malnourished and it has been envisaged in the policy to address these issues” , he added.
Elaborating on KP Food Security Policy, the minister said that the council members would hold a meeting every month to review the implementation progress of the policy, challenges in the field of food availability.
He shared that wheat production this year has jumped to 16 lakh tons compared to 11 lakh tons last year, adding that KP in terms of wheat production is facing a deficit but the province is moving forward toward a positive direction in crop production.
Mr Kamran said that the provincial department of science and technology would play a very important role in implementing food security policy in the province.
“We (KP-government) wants that all people of the province have access to all food items/articles for an active and healthy life,” he added.
The KP government, in the light of its food security policy, has decided to meet the challenges in different crops production, he said that Kisan Card has been launched to provide maximum relief to the farmers community of the province.
Mr Kamran pointed out that measures will be taken to improve farmers’ access to quality inputs such as seed, fertilizers, pesticides, credit etc.
Information minister said the provincial cabinet was informed that the KP government will spend Rs 236 billion over the next decade to meet the challenges of food security, adding that in return the province would have an impact of around Rs700 billion.
According to the policy framework, research will also be one of priority areas to address the emerging challenges of climate change, water stress, pests and diseases and other challenges, he added, research in the field of agriculture, forest, environment and food would be promoted and space for employment would be broadened.
