Training Report: Millennium Development Goals in the SAARC Region

Power Point Presentations
FOOD SECURITY AND
SAFETY IN SAARC REGION
Prof. Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum (TI)
Director General
National Institute of Food Science & Technology
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
1
Food Security
Food security in terms of the following four key aspects:
Food Availability – Sufficient availability of food with the nation
through domestic production, net imports (commercial or food aid)
and carry-over of stocks.
Food Access – Individual’s capability to purchase food and to be
able to procure food through safety nets or availability.
Food Utilization – Consumption of food by the household in a
proper form. It also takes in to account food preparation,
Storage and utilization, food safety, nutritional safety and dietary
balance
Food Vulnerability – Vulnerability of the population to food
insecurity due to physiological, economic, social or political
reasons
2
DIMENSIONS OF FOOD SECURITY
FOOD SECURITY SITUATION IN SAARC REGION
Economic Overview
Agriculture holds a central place in all South Asian economies, except for Maldives
Moreover, this sector employs more than half of the labour force in SAARC countries,
reaching 97% in Bhutan
Countries
Contribution of
Ag. to GDP (%)
Ag. labour force as
% of total labour
force
Poverty headcount
ratio at $2 a day
(PPP) (%)
% of
undernourished
population
Afghanistan 40 59.8 na na
Bangladesh 19.1 45.21 81.33 27
Bhutan 21.9 96.71 49.49 Na
India 19.0 55.75 75.59 21
Maldives 6 15.33 na na
Nepal 32.9 87.73 77.57 16
Pakistan 20.4 41.33 60.31 26
Sri Lanka 13.2 47.27 39.74 19
Total - 53.7 73.40 -
3
4
Source: Singh (2008)
ADB (2009)
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