Islamabad, the 05th April, 2018: 44th meeting of the Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research was held today at 11:00 a.m. in Committee Room of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Islamabad under the Chairmanship of Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, MNA.

2. Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security and Research brief the Committee about the implementation status of the previous recommendations of the Committee. The Committee deferred “The National Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Authority Bill, 2017” till its next meeting.

3. The Committee was given briefing by the Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security and Research on National Food Security Policy (NFSP). He informed that Food Security is first and foremost element of National Security and this requires a robust policy framework. He said that objective of NFSP is to ensure a modern and efficient food production and distribution system that can best contribute towards food security and nutrition, in terms of availability, access, utilization and stability. He further said that more specific objectives of the policy are alleviation of poverty, eradicating hunger and malnutrition, promotion of sustainable food production systems and making agriculture more productive, profitable, climate resilient and competitive. He further informed about the measures to be taken under NFSP. He added that policy will focus on the access of farmers to quality inputs like seed, fertilizer and agricultural machinery. He said that policy will also include plans to address emergencies and disaster management. It was informed that Cabinet has accorded approval to the National Food Security Policy (NFSP) and Ministry of National Food Security and Research is now initiating process for its implementation and preparation of an Action Plan accordingly.

4. Choudhary Iftikhar Nazir, Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Ms. Shahnaz Saleem, Syed Iftikhar-ul-Hassan, Mr. Faqir Sher Muhammad Bilalani, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla and Dr. Fouzia Hameed MNAs attended the meeting. The meeting was also attended by Mr. Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, Minister for National Food Security and Research and other senior officers of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research.