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FAO to facilitate govt on food crisis

By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: A fact-finding mission of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) has arrived to investigate causes of recent severe food crisis and suggest the government short, medium and long terms measures to avoid such kind of crisis in future.

The FAO mission comprising Ms Liliana Balbi and Turi Fileccia in Pakistan is investigating on ‘Assessment of impact of food crisis in Pakistan and recommendations for short, medium and long term response’.

They are making survey in different parts of the country for finding the impact of higher food crisis in the world including Pakistan.

During the survey and study, the mission will have to produce findings and recommends for immediate response to the food crisis but also analyse the underlying causes and option for medium and long term strengthening of macro economic policies relating to agriculture of the country.

An international estimation reveals that about 17 million people are feared to have joined the food insecure category during the current food crisis.

Officials in the ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock told the study was expected to verify the current impact of the food prices hike on food security and to develop likely scenario for the coming months and suggest monitoring arrangement.

The survey would also identify the need for assistance in short and medium terms measures. The government also expects, that the study would suggest investment programmes aimed at increasing the production and income of poor rural producers and review the policy options for strengthening agriculture and trade in the long term.

For finding out the impact of food crisis in Pakistan, an amount of $85,654 has been made available under the Technical Cooperation Programme in order to meet the cost and expenditures related to FAO’s involvement in a UN International Agency study by FAO, WFP and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The official further informed that the FAO mission would have to produce findings and recommends for immediate response to the food crisis but also analyse the underlying causes and option for medium and long term strengthening of macro economic polices, agriculture and trade.

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