Role of women in food systems transformation to achieve food nutrition, security: Speakers

ISLAMABAD, August 2 (SABAH): Speakers at a seminar on food systems and role of women on Friday underscored the crucial need to enable role of women in food systems’ transformation to achieve food nutrition and security.

The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) organized a seminar on “Role of Women in Food Systems Transformation to Achieve Food and Nutrition Security” at the PMAS Arid Agriculture University here.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Registrar and Assistant Professor, Dr. Nazia Rafique said saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, and advancing economic growth are crucial goals. Major issues faced by our society today include food security, climate change, and women empowerment, she added.

Dr. Rafique said the solution to food security, global health, and women’s empowerment is interconnected. Health can be achieved through safe and nutritious food, which aligns with 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 rise to 350 million by 2050. Nationally, 70 million tons of cooked and prepared food is required annually, with this demand projected to increase to 130 million tons by 2050. Women play a crucial role in this system by contributing to cooking, harvesting, and even sowing crops, and therefore should also participate in policy formation. To keep up with future demands, food production must increase to 160 to 296 million tons by 2050. Mitigating risks causing climate change is essential to ensure food security,” Professor Dr. Nazi Rafique said.

Deputy Executive Director SDPI, Syed Qasim Ali Shah said according to the Agriculture Labour Force Survey, 77 percent of women contribute to agriculture at the farm level. “Women involved in farming often spend more than 50 hours per week working on the farm. Despite their significant contribution, women receive 35 to 40 percent lower wages compared to men, and often they are not paid at all when working on their own farms,” he added.

Unfortunately, malnutrition is prevalent within the families of these households. In Pakistan, only 3 percent of agricultural land ownership belongs to women, he said, adding, “The role and contributions of women in agriculture should be recognized, and more shares should be allocated to them”.

Country Director, GAIN, Farah Naz said food systems encompass the cultivation, production, harvesting, and processing of food. In Pakistan, 60 to 70 percent of calories come from staple crops like wheat, which should not be the sole component of our diets. “Women play a crucial role in agriculture, from farm to fork, particularly in the production of vegetables, cotton picking, and rice planting. At the policy level, climate-resilient agriculture, income, and socioeconomic outcomes are major topics of debate in Pakistan,” she added.

The country faces issues of food affordability and purchasing power, with deficiencies in iron leading to anaemia and multiple vitamin deficiencies such as vitamins D, A, B12, and others. Health should be a prime concern, she said.

Last year, she said Pakistan ranked 143 internationally, with its status declining as the potential role of women farmers is not recognized by the government, as they are not reflected in policies, leading to limited training or capacity-building programs for women. “Women should be given a quota based on their contributions, and training should be sector and contribution-oriented. They should also contribute significantly to policy formation, for example, the participation of women in the National food system pathways for the transformation of food systems in Pakistan.

A UN study indicates that including equal numbers of women alongside men could improve generative income by 1 trillion dollars. Women in many communities are street vendors supporting their families and educating them about healthy dietary choices can help solve malnutrition,” she added.

Technical Director, NICB, Dr. Abida Raza said one-third of food is either lost or wasted. “There is a need to adopt environment-friendly processing technologies.  Malnutrition is also caused by the high consumption of processed foods and the exclusion of natural fruits, vegetables, and dairy products like yogurt and milk from our daily diets,” she said. She added that food systems transformation should focus on innovation in nutrition to ensure food security. Universities should host multiple training sessions, encouraging student participation, as they can carry the message back to their communities.