FOOD SECURITY IN PAKISTAN

Wheat is the major staple food of people of Pakistan and the net annual requirement for a population of 165 million including seed requirement is more than 21mmt besides unavoidable post production losses and carryover. Over-estimate of wheat production (23.295mmt) during 2006-07 led to export five lac mmt through regular channels and more than that through irregular channels to neighbouring food deficient countries. In spite of efforts made to import wheat later on, at a much higher rate, the situation did not improve. Recent increase in support price(52%), as an incentive to boost production is likely to provide temporary relief but not a permanent solution to the problem because of high and ever-increasing cost of agriculture in-puts and severe shortage of irrigation water. The solution, however, lies in enhancing per unit production through liberal financial support to small farmers, adequate availability of fertilizers, weedicides and certified seed at affordable prices, containment of post-harvest losses and strong curb on wheat smuggling. Adequate irrigation water supply, of course, occupies the pivotal role in enhancing agriculture production and that is linked with the construction of big dames, at least one in the shortest possible time and the one whose feasibility has already been worked out. It is only kalabagdam.