Joint efforts required to attain food security objectives

STAFF REPORT ISB: Food security is one of the major challenges to which Pakistan is exposed and number of steps are yet to be taken for improvement in this particular issue. Collaborative efforts from provincial food departments are necessary to mitigate the adverse multifaceted impacts of food insecurity. A meeting was held to ensure the food quality, and establish a joint working group between provincial food departments and PSQCA and important ideas were exchanged for betterment of overall situation of food security in country.

The meeting was chaired by Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Rana Tanveer Hussain. The controversial issues of contention between PSQCA Act 1996 and Punjab Foods Authority Act 2011 were discussed in detail in the meeting to resolve it with consensus.

Rana Tanveer Hussain while speaking to the participants said that disintegrated efforts do not impart synergic effect and hence prove insufficient to suffice the need of food security; PSQCA and food authorities must work in a collaborative manner to attain the objectives of food security and working relation between both must not be halted due to any issue. The establishment of joint working group of law and standardization was also promulgated by the Federal Minister with the purpose to resolve technical issues between PSQCA and food authorities.