Food Security paradigm in Pakistan has changed since 3-F crises

Dr. Pirzada,while speaking at 14th Sustainable Development Conference(SDC) in Islamabad on 13th December 2011, in a joint session organised by Oxfam GB and SDPI on 'Factors Affecting Food Security in Resource Constrained Pakistan' emphatically underlined that economic access to food has emerged a key food security concern in Pakistan since 2007.

Food inflation that touched its peak of 34% in 2008, pushed millions in to hunger in Pakistan and around 77 million people in Pakistan are threatened with hunger and 37 % of population suffers from food insecurity.

He said there is no alternative to sustained domestic food supply for a resource constrained country like Pakistan and to this end support price system for key food security and livelihood related agricultural commodities is an imperative, as it will help advance public good, arrest the reversal of MDGs in Pakistan and will help in securing socio-economic and political stability in the country.

Role of Civil Societies towards Development

In an other TV interview telecast by Sohne Dharti Dr.Pirzada spoke about role of civil society towards development.He opined that government alone can't meet the clossal development challenges .It is only through private public partnetship(PPP) that we can address the needs of people in a genuine way, and civil society has a big role to play.
Civil society actions not only inform public sector policies and interventions but also speerhead inforned development actions,especially in emergencies.Earthquake and flood response mounted by the CSOs in Pakistan, is an evidence in this regard,he added.

Role of Agricultural Research towards development

In an interview, telecast by Sohne Dharti TVchannel,Dr. Pirzada underlined the need to reorient National Agricultural Research System (NARS) to generate, one one hand innovation content for underpinning trade & economic development, and emperical evidence to inform national agrultural R&D policy on the other.
Without innovation and value addition, trade in primary commodities alone can not meet the challenges national economy is facing today.Likewise, challange of food security and climate change too can be addressed through innovative research output,he emphasized.

Mango Exports from Pakistan: SPS Management

Dr.Pirzada has recently documented SPS Management- capacity building manual for Mango Exporters in a study commissioned by USAID/FIRMS-IRA.The study is likely to be made public by USAID/FIRMS.He also conducted three capacity building workshops for mango exporters one each in Lahore,Multan and Karachi , this summer 2011.

Role of rural development towards national economy in Pakistan

On Friday, the 24 September 2010 Sohne Dharte TV channel carried an hour long interview of Dr. Wajid Pirzada, in its program Agro Online.Dr.Pirzada spoke at length about rural development paradigms and their role towards national economy.He concluded by saying that recent floods in Pakistan have brought home message that we have had disregarded the need for all- encompassing rural development in the country, making rural populace vulnerable to socio-economic and natural disasters.

WTO and Pakistan's Agriculture

Speaking in a 1 day seminar on Impact of WTO policies on Pakistan's agriculture,organised by the Pakistan Rural Development Prgogram (PRDP)-NGO, in Peshawar on 3oth June 2010, Dr. Wajid Pirzada said that given equal opportunities for agricultural development and export,trade liberalization will be in the interest of developing countries like Pakistan, having natural comparative advantage in agriculture.The agricultural development however, is unequal because of technology, information,infrastructure and ability to subsidize, across developed and developing countries. The WTO rules thus need to address this issue objectively through Doha Developent Agenda (DDA).
At the same time, countries like Pakistan should make genuine effort in specializing in their area of comparative advantge, adding value to agricultural produce and adhering to standards economy for developing competence in competitiveness.Proactive engagement in WTO negotiations, as informed policy, will be rewarding in the long run, Dr.Pirzada added.

Pakistan's Fiscal Budget 2010-11 and Food Security & Poverty

On invitation from civil society,The Action Aid Pakistan & CPRD, speaking in a seminar on Fiscal budget 2010-11: Food Security & Poverty, held in Islamabad on 23rd June, 2010,Dr. Wajid Pirzada a Food Security Analyst and Expert on WTO Food & Agriculture related matter said that agriculture & related activties in Pakistan are a rural function. Majority population in Pakistan ekes out its existence from agriculture.The agriculture sector/ rural economy however, is at risk because of market imperfections, poor infrasrtucture and insufficient investment in public goods.
National government need to be cognizant that provision of labour force, livelihood generation& distribution, natural resource management( including non-renewable energy) are all linked to rual agricultural economy.As such an informed national policy can not ignore this vital sector of economy.Further agriculture like any other strategic sector is one of the basic pillars of national sovereignty, he addded. As food insecurity can threaten socio-economic & political stability.
He appreciated investment by the Government in social safety net through Benazir Income Support Fund, and urged the Government and civil society to join thei heads and hands to augment national efforts directed towards alleviation of poverty.
He said inflation in the country was counter productive in terms of attainment of MDGs, as the poor strata was spending more than 60 % of their income on securing food.Efforts therefore need to be guided to follow a virtuous cycle- investment in small farmers/poor & rural areas, more agricultural production & income, lower fod prices, improved food security & reduced poverty.