This was stated by former finance minister Sartaj Aziz, while delivering a lecture on ‘Food security for the poor’ organised by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) here on Sunday.  He said an average agricultural growth rate of at least four per cent per annum in the next decade from 2010–2020, implementation of a pro-poor growth strategy and provision of non-farm employment on a substantial scale were must to achieve food security in the country.

In Pakistan, he said, the level of poverty had declined from 34.4 per cent in 2001 to 28 per cent in 2005-6, but the high inflation in the last three years had pushed the figure back to 33 per cent pushing at least 11 million people below the poverty line.

Mr Aziz said poverty was the main cause of food insecurity that in turn perpetuates poverty. ‘But, Pakistan has not so far evolved a comprehensive national food security strategy,’ he added. The former minister said it was indeed unfortunate that during the last few years the level of food security had fallen.

The level of wheat production in 2007-8 was the same as that almost a decade ago, while the population has increased by almost 20 per cent, he maintained. He said food security had been low since 2001-2 because of low food production levels and relatively higher inflation in food prices. Given the underlying conditions of food security, he said, it is difficult to visualise the reported fall in incidence of poverty, particularly in the face of declining food affordability.