Food Security Challenges in Pakistan Explained

Food security has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges in Pakistan, affecting millions of people across urban and rural areas. Despite being an agrarian economy, the country is experiencing an alarming food crisis, with 37% of the population classified as food insecure, according to the 2023 Global Hunger Index. This issue is particularly severe in rural areas, where smallholder farmers, who make up a significant portion of the agricultural workforce, struggle to access sufficient and nutritious food due to declining crop yields, poor infrastructure, and limited market access.

Several factors contribute to this growing crisis. Inconsistent agricultural policies have hindered long-term planning and investment in the sector, leading to stagnating productivity and inefficient resource allocation. Additionally, climate change has exacerbated food insecurity, with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, floods, and droughts severely impacting crop production. The 2022 floods, for example, submerged millions of acres of farmland, disrupting food supplies and driving up prices.

Economic instability further compounds the issue. High inflation rates and currency depreciation have increased the cost of essential food items, making them unaffordable for a significant portion of the population. Supply chain disruptions and reliance on food imports have also contributed to food price volatility.

Addressing this crisis requires immediate policy interventions, such as subsidizing agricultural inputs, improving rural infrastructure, and enhancing food storage facilities to minimize post-harvest losses. Sustainable agricultural practices, including climate-resilient crops and efficient irrigation systems, must be promoted to ensure long-term food production stability. Moreover, strengthening food distribution networks, expanding social safety nets, and improving market linkages can help ensure food reaches vulnerable communities.

The Paradox of Agricultural Growth and Food Insecurity

The paradox of agricultural growth and food insecurity in Pakistan highlights a critical imbalance between food production and accessibility. While agriculture contributes 22.7% to the GDP and employs 37.4% of the labor force, as reported in the Pakistan Economic Survey 2022-2023, food insecurity continues to rise, affecting millions. The sector's growth has been erratic, fluctuating between 2.4% and 4.4% from 2018 to 2023, failing to keep pace with the food demands of a rapidly expanding population that now exceeds 240 million.

Pakistan’s agricultural output is heavily dependent on staple crops like wheat, rice, and maize. In 2022-2023, wheat production reached 27.5 million tons, while rice and maize yields stood at 8.9 million tons and 10.6 million tons, respectively. Despite these significant production levels, food insecurity remains a pressing issue due to regional disparities, supply chain inefficiencies, and climate-induced disruptions.

Food production is unevenly distributed across provinces. Punjab and parts of Sindh experience food surpluses, yet Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Gilgit-Baltistan remain food insecure. Balochistan, in particular, has the highest food insecurity rate at 52%, driven by poor infrastructure, water scarcity, and limited market access. Seasonal variations further exacerbate food availability issues, with many rural communities relying on unpredictable agricultural cycles.

Additionally, post-harvest losses, inefficient storage facilities, and price volatility prevent food from reaching those in need. Climate change has worsened this crisis, with erratic monsoons, droughts, and extreme heatwaves leading to crop failures.

To address this paradox, sustainable agricultural policies, investment in rural infrastructure, and equitable food distribution systems are essential. Enhancing agricultural resilience through climate-smart techniques, reducing post-harvest losses, and improving rural connectivity can help bridge the gap between food production and access, ensuring food security for all Pakistanis.

The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security

Climate change has emerged as a critical threat to food security in Pakistan, disrupting agricultural production and increasing reliance on food imports. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events have severely impacted crop yields and rural livelihoods. The 2022 floods, described as the worst in the country’s history, affected 33 million people, destroyed 4.4 million acres of crops, and led to agricultural losses worth $30 billion. These floods exacerbated food shortages, particularly in rural areas where subsistence farming is the primary means of livelihood.

Water scarcity further intensifies Pakistan’s food security crisis. The country’s per capita water availability has plummeted from 5,260 cubic meters in 1951 to just 908 cubic meters in 2023, well below the 1,000 cubic meters threshold that defines water scarcity. Pakistan’s heavy reliance on irrigation-based agriculture makes the declining availability of water during the Kharif and Rabi seasons a major challenge. Wheat, rice, and sugarcane yields have already suffered due to irregular irrigation cycles and depleting groundwater levels.

Additionally, heatwaves and prolonged droughts have further reduced crop productivity. Rising temperatures increase water evaporation rates, worsening irrigation challenges. The frequency of pest infestations and crop diseases has also surged, adding another layer of complexity to agricultural sustainability.

Without urgent climate adaptation measures, such as efficient water management, drought-resistant crops, and improved early warning systems, Pakistan’s food security crisis will continue to deepen. Strengthening climate-resilient agriculture and investing in water conservation technologies are imperative to ensure long-term food stability.

The Economic Burden of Food Imports

Despite its strong agricultural base, Pakistan's growing dependence on food imports has placed a significant burden on the economy. In 2022-2023, food imports reached $7.5 billion, with key commodities including edible oil, pulses, dairy products, and wheat. This increasing reliance on foreign markets depletes foreign exchange reserves and exposes the economy to global supply chain disruptions and price volatility. As a result, the rising cost of imports directly contributes to inflation, making basic food items unaffordable for millions of Pakistanis.

Wheat, a staple food for the majority of Pakistan’s population, remains a major concern. In 2022-2023, Pakistan faced a wheat shortfall of 2.6 million tons, necessitating large-scale imports to stabilize domestic supply and prices. However, global wheat prices surged due to geopolitical conflicts, climate shocks, and supply chain disruptions, further inflating import costs.

The consequences of Pakistan's import-driven food security approach are evident in soaring food inflation, which reached 47.1% in rural areas and 38.5% in urban areas in 2023, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The burden of rising food prices disproportionately affects low-income households, many of whom already struggle to afford nutritious and sufficient food.

To reduce dependency on food imports, Pakistan must focus on boosting domestic production through sustainable agricultural practices, improving storage and distribution systems, and investing in high-yield crop varieties. Strengthening local supply chains and promoting climate-resilient farming are crucial to ensuring long-term food security and economic stability.

Rural Poverty and Food Accessibility

Rural communities in Pakistan face severe food insecurity, largely driven by poverty, limited agricultural resources, and rising food prices. Approximately 39% of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line, with rural areas accounting for the majority of the poor. Small-scale farmers, who make up 65% of the agricultural workforce, struggle to access high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and advanced farming techniques, resulting in low crop yields and unstable incomes. The lack of financial support and modern technology further exacerbates their economic vulnerability, making it difficult to invest in sustainable agricultural improvements.

Food accessibility goes beyond availability, it is also about affordability. The escalating cost of essential commodities has placed nutritious food out of reach for many low-income households. With inflation and market instability, many families resort to cheaper, less nutritious diets, leading to severe health consequences. Malnutrition remains a critical issue, particularly among children. According to the National Nutrition Survey 2018, 40.2% of children under five suffer from stunted growth, 17.7% experience wasting, and 28.9% are underweight. These alarming figures underscore the urgent need for food security interventions, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Addressing rural poverty and food insecurity requires holistic policy measures, including subsidized agricultural inputs, improved access to financial services, investment in rural infrastructure, and nutrition-sensitive social protection programs. Strengthening rural food systems and supporting smallholder farmers can significantly enhance food availability and affordability, ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to a balanced and nutritious diet.

Policy Failures and Agricultural Constraints

Despite several agricultural policies aimed at improving food security, inconsistent implementation and systemic inefficiencies continue to hinder progress. Subsidies on fertilizers, seeds, and irrigation systems have been introduced to support farmers, but these often fail to reach small-scale farmers due to bureaucratic delays, corruption, and lack of transparency. The Kissan Package, launched in 2022 to provide financial relief, suffered from delayed execution and resource mismanagement, limiting its intended impact.

Additionally, inefficient marketing and distribution systems further exacerbate food insecurity. Post-harvest losses in Pakistan range from 16-40%, primarily due to poor storage infrastructure, inadequate transportation, and lack of cold storage facilities. As a result, surplus food from productive regions like Punjab cannot effectively reach food-deficit areas such as Balochistan and KPK, leading to regional disparities in food availability.

Steps Towards a Food-Secure Pakistan

Pakistan must promote climate-smart agriculture, including drought-resistant crops, precision irrigation, and organic fertilizers. Drip irrigation systems, for instance, can reduce water consumption by 30-50% while enhancing yields.

Access to high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and modern farming equipment should be expanded for smallholder farmers. Programs such as the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Emergency Program need efficient execution and increased farmer outreach to boost productivity.

Investing in cold storage and efficient transportation can reduce post-harvest losses and ensure year-round food availability. Strengthening rural food supply chains can help connect farmers directly to urban markets, minimizing middlemen exploitation.

Providing financial assistance, training, and direct market access is essential. Programs like the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) should be expanded to include agricultural support, enabling farmers to invest in productivity-enhancing resources.

Food security strategies should focus on long-term sustainability rather than short-term relief. Coordinated federal and provincial policies are needed to ensure effective governance and implementation.

Economic diversification in rural areas, including microfinance, skill development, and agribusiness opportunities, can increase purchasing power and food affordability, ultimately reducing food insecurity.

Conclusion

Food security in Pakistan remains a complex and multifaceted challenge, driven by climate change, economic instability, policy inefficiencies, and regional disparities. Despite being an agrarian economy, the country continues to grapple with high food insecurity rates, with 37% of the population unable to access sufficient and nutritious food. While agricultural growth has shown some progress, it has failed to translate into improved food access, particularly in rural and marginalized communities.

Climate change has exacerbated food insecurity, with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events leading to declining crop yields and water shortages. Additionally, economic dependence on food imports has placed a financial burden on foreign reserves, leading to food inflation and reduced affordability for low-income households. Rural poverty and weak agricultural infrastructure further restrict food accessibility, particularly for smallholder farmers, who lack modern farming tools, quality inputs, and financial support.

To ensure long-term food security, Pakistan must adopt sustainable agricultural practices, improve food distribution networks, and implement climate-resilient strategies. Government interventions, including subsidized inputs, better rural infrastructure, financial assistance for smallholder farmers, and strengthened market linkages, are critical in addressing food insecurity. Investments in cold storage, efficient transportation, and technology-driven solutions can help minimize post-harvest losses and improve food availability.

A holistic, multi-sectoral approach—involving government agencies, private stakeholders, and community-led initiatives is necessary to achieve a food-secure Pakistan. By implementing targeted policies and fostering agricultural resilience, Pakistan can overcome its food crisis, ensuring sustainable growth and improved livelihoods for its people.

Please note that the views expressed in this article are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of any organization.

The author is affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences, Sindh Agricultute University Tando Jam, Sindh, Pakistan and can be reached at noondaniaziz786@gmail.com 

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