The Role of Indigenous Crops in Enhancing Food Security in Pakistan

Pakistan stands at a critical juncture concerning its food security, where rising population pressures and environmental constraints are converging into a national crisis. With more than 240 million people and an annual growth rate of 1.9% (World Bank, 2023), the country’s food demand is expanding faster than its production capacity. Climate change impacts such as erratic monsoons, glacier melting, heatwaves, and frequent floods are intensifying vulnerabilities across the agricultural sector. Simultaneously, Pakistan is among the world’s most water-stressed nations, severely limiting its ability to sustain crop cultivation.

These stresses are compounded by inflation, shrinking foreign reserves, and poor market governance, which collectively undermine food affordability and availability. Despite being an agrarian economy, the nation faces persistent malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and reduced dietary diversity. Ranking 102 out of 125 countries on the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Pakistan falls into the “serious hunger” category (von der Leyen et al., 2023), underscoring deep structural weaknesses in food policy and agriculture.

One of the core issues is the narrow focus of agricultural policy. Heavy subsidies and procurement programs prioritize wheat, rice, and sugarcane, encouraging monoculture at the expense of diversity. This policy orientation has sidelined Pakistan’s rich heritage of indigenous crops. Traditional staples like bajra (pearl millet), jowar (sorghum), mash (black gram), moong (mung bean), chaulai (amaranth), and til (sesame) are naturally aligned with Pakistan’s agro-ecological zones. They are drought-tolerant, require minimal water, withstand high temperatures, and often thrive in marginal soils with limited chemical inputs. Nutritionally, many of these crops are richer in protein, fiber, micronutrients, and essential amino acids compared to wheat or rice. Yet, decades of monocropping have eroded agro-biodiversity, weakened ecological resilience and exposed Pakistan to climate and market shocks. Restoring indigenous crops within mainstream agriculture could therefore play a transformative role in rebuilding a secure, sustainable, and nutrition-rich food system for the country’s future.

Defining Food Security and the Indigenous Advantage

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines food security as a condition in which all people, always, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life. In the context of Pakistan, this definition underscores the strategic value of reviving indigenous crops to strengthen food security. By diversifying agricultural production beyond wheat, rice, and sugarcane, indigenous crops can play a vital role in ensuring a more reliable and resilient food supply. Their cultivation broadens the national food basket and reduces the risks associated with over-reliance on a few staples that are highly vulnerable to climate change. Since many indigenous crops are naturally drought-tolerant and require fewer inputs, they can be produced at a lower cost, making nutritious food more affordable for low-income households. This characteristic is particularly important in rural Pakistan, where a large share of the population struggles with food inflation and limited purchasing power.

Nutritionally, indigenous crops offer immense and often overlooked value. They are rich in essential vitamins, proteins, minerals, and dietary fiber, making them a powerful tool for addressing widespread malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. By encouraging greater consumption of traditional foods such as millet, sorghum, lentils, amaranth, and sesame, Pakistan can improve dietary diversity and public health outcomes. At the same time, the climate resilience of these crops provides long-term stability to the food system. Their ability to withstand heat, drought, pests, and poor soils make them reliable even in adverse conditions, reducing the likelihood of production shocks and supply disruptions. In an era of growing climate uncertainty, integrating indigenous crops into mainstream agriculture offers Pakistan not only a pathway to nutritional well-being but also a sustainable and more self-reliant food future.

Reviving Indigenous Crops: Nutrition, Livelihoods, and Climate Resilience for Pakistan

Indigenous crops hold tremendous potential to address Pakistan’s multidimensional food crisis by simultaneously combating hidden hunger, empowering rural economies, and restoring ecological balance. These crops are exceptionally rich in nutrients, making them a powerful weapon against the widespread micronutrient deficiencies that persist in Pakistan despite an agriculture-based economy. In a country where diets are dominated by wheat and rice, pulses such as mash and moong offer a critical source of plant-based protein that can substantially improve dietary balance. The Bambara groundnut, for example, contains up to 24 percent protein significantly higher than maize and products made from it can help reduce protein-energy malnutrition among vulnerable communities. Likewise, amaranth leaves, which contain up to 40 mg of iron per 100 grams and are also rich in vitamin A, offer a strategic solution to anemia and weakened immunity, especially among women and children. Pearl millet (bajra) further contributes to improved nutrition through its high iron and zinc content, far exceeding that of modern refined wheat flour, making it an ideal crop for tackling Pakistan’s silent malnutrition crisis.

Beyond health benefits, indigenous crops have the power to strengthen rural livelihoods and stimulate local economies. Their cultivation creates new income streams for smallholder farmers who are otherwise trapped in low-margin, high-input staple crop cycles. Since many indigenous crops are now considered niche or premium products, farmers can earn more by supplying growing urban and export markets that value traditional and organic foods. Examples from other regions also demonstrate the financial promise of indigenous agriculture. Studies from Africa show that cultivating indigenous vegetables can increase farm income by more than 25 percent, and similar opportunities exist in Pakistan through crops like quinoa, heritage rice, and traditional millets. The potential is even greater when supported by value-addition industries such as millet flour, amaranth snacks, mixed pulse products, and ready-to-eat foods. These activities generate employment for women and youth in rural areas, reduce post-harvest losses, and keep wealth circulating within local communities instead of flowing to costly imported inputs.

Environmentally, indigenous crops offer resilience against Pakistan’s escalating climate threats. Their natural drought tolerance and ability to thrive in poor soils make them ideal for regions such as Tharparkar, Cholistan, Balochistan, and upland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Legume crops like moong and mash also enrich soil fertility by fixing nitrogen, which reduces dependence on chemical fertilizers, lowers production costs, and protects soil health over the long term. Because these crops co-evolved with local ecosystems and pests, they typically require fewer pesticides, promoting safer food and reducing environmental contamination. By diversifying fields with multiple indigenous crops, farmers can create more stable agro-ecosystems that are less vulnerable to total crop failure, thereby increasing national food system resilience.

Taken together, the nutritional, economic, and environmental advantages of indigenous crops present a compelling case for their revival in Pakistan. Reintegrating them into mainstream agriculture can transform the food system from one characterized by vulnerability to one rooted in resilience, health, and self-reliance.

Strategic Recommendations for Reviving Indigenous Crops in Pakistan

Indigenous crops remain an underexplored yet powerful pathway to overcoming Pakistan’s chronic food insecurity and rising malnutrition. Their superior nutritional profile, adaptability to harsh local conditions, and potential to uplift rural economies make them a strategic asset in shaping a resilient and self-reliant food system. To unlock this potential, Pakistan must adopt a comprehensive and coordinated strategy that spans policy reform, institutional innovation, market incentives, and consumer awareness.

A reorientation of agricultural policy is essential. For decades, subsidies and support mechanisms have disproportionately favored wheat, rice, and sugarcane, resulting in monocultures and depleted agro-biodiversity. Redirecting a portion of these subsidies toward climate-resilient crops such as millet, mung bean, amaranth, and sesame will encourage farmers to diversify production. Programs like the government’s Horticulture Support Initiative should be expanded to explicitly prioritize nutrient-dense indigenous varieties, ensuring institutional backing from federal and provincial agricultural departments.

Simultaneously, investment in research and development is critical. Public and private research institutions must initiate breeding programs that enhance yield, shelf life, and processing potential of indigenous crops without eroding their natural strengths. Farmer training, demonstration plots, and university–industry linkages can accelerate the adoption of improved varieties. Parallel to research, market development is needed to create profitable value chains. Branding initiatives such as “Pakistani Heritage Grains” and dedicated supermarket shelves for indigenous products can stimulate demand. Strengthening cold chains, processing facilities, and certification systems will connect rural producers with urban and international markets, offering farmers premium prices.

Finally, public awareness is vital for behavioral change. National campaigns through schools, media, and nutrition programs can promote the health benefits of traditional grains, vegetables, and pulses, increasing their acceptance in household diets. By mainstreaming indigenous crops from farm to table, Pakistan can enhance food sovereignty, improve public health, and build long-term resilience against climate and market shocks.

Conclusion

Pakistan’s food security challenges demand a paradigm shift in both agricultural strategy and dietary behavior. The evidence presented in this article clearly shows that indigenous crops offer a practical, sustainable, and nutrition‐focused solution to the country’s growing crisis of hunger and malnutrition. Naturally suited to local climates, these crops can withstand drought, heat, and poor soil, making them far more dependable than water-intensive staples in an era of climate uncertainty. At the same time, their superior nutritional value rich in proteins, iron, zinc, vitamins, and dietary fiber positions them as a powerful tool in combating “hidden hunger,” which continues to affect millions of Pakistani women and children.

Beyond nutrition, indigenous crops also hold promise for poverty reduction and rural development. By cultivating high-value traditional crops and participating in emerging niche markets, smallholder farmers can diversify incomes, reduce input costs, and gain greater financial stability. Environmentally, reintroducing these crops can restore soil fertility, conserve biodiversity, and reduce chemical dependency, ultimately leading to healthier agro-ecosystems.

To realize these benefits, however, Pakistan must commit to reform—through supportive policies, targeted research, market incentives, and public awareness. If integrated thoughtfully into mainstream agriculture and national diets, indigenous crops can strengthen food sovereignty, enhance climate resilience, and secure a healthier future for generations to come.

References: Altieri; Chivenge et al; FAO; Giller; Mkandawire; National Institute of Nutrition, India; Soofi et al; Hassan; von der Leyen et al; World Bank.

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 writer is s affiliated with the National Institute of Food Science and Technology and can be reached at dn.ariba.sadia@gmail.com

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