World Food Day is an important annual event celebrated globally every October

World Food Day is an important annual event celebrated globally every October. This occasion focuses on a theme related to sustainable agriculture, aiming to gather support for policies and actions from governments and other stakeholders. In line with the perspective of conserving natural resources for ensuring food security, this year, the FAO has introduced a comprehensive theme: “Water is life, Water is Food: Leave no one behind.” This theme is highly relevant, given the current situation in Pakistan.
Globally, the demand for water has been growing significantly due to rapid population growth, and within about a hundred years, we will require roughly six times more water. Meanwhile, water availability is gradually diminishing due to increasing demand and water mismanagement, especially in developing countries. Pakistan is fortunate to have a unique blend of water resources, including glaciated mountains, the Indus River Water System, and a network of canals and distributaries. The Indus River System is one of the world’s leading irrigation systems, covering approximately 150,000 square kilometers, which is 83% of Pakistan’s total cultivated land. However, diminishing snowfall over the Himalayas and Karakorum Mountain ranges, along with rapid population growth, are exerting pressure on our surface water resources.
In Pakistan, groundwater accounts for about 90% of domestic water usage in rural areas and approximately 50% in the agriculture sector. The seepage of the Indus Basin Irrigation System and rainwater are the primary sources for recharging groundwater. Due to the unpredictability of canal water supplies, farmers across Pakistan have turned to groundwater pumping. In the Indus Basin Irrigation System, there are approximately 500,000 tube wells, estimated to pump around 50 billion cubic meters of water. Even in the domestic sector, there is a rising misuse of groundwater, sharply depleting this precious natural resource. Furthermore, climate change is also taking its toll, as evidenced during the recent floods in 2022, affecting around 30 million people and causing financial losses of US$ 30 billion.
To conserve natural resources, boost productivity, and eradicate malnutrition, it is imperative to engage all stakeholders and make explicit commitments. These commitments should be grounded in sound evidence and a shared understanding of the underlying causes. Enhancing nutritious food production requires action on multiple fronts, such as improving water and food systems governance, funding water management and rural development projects, and adopting high-efficiency irrigation systems.
In the end, I would like to emphasize that in Pakistan, our efforts to reduce poverty and ensure food security can bear fruit only if the agriculture sector is given due importance. Agriculture-led growth can significantly raise farm incomes, increase food productivity, lower food prices, and generate surpluses for exports. I assure you that agriculture will remain a key focus of our government, aiming to uplift the economy and bring real change in the lives of the masses.