Prime Minister (PM) Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has urged federal and provincial governments, farmers, universities, research institutions, the private sector, civil society, media organisations, development partners, and all citizens to contribute to creating a safe, resilient, and nutritious food system.
In a message for World Food Safety Day, he stated, “Pakistan joins the international community in reaffirming its commitment to the shared and meaningful goal of ensuring access to safe, nutritious, and wholesome food, free from contamination and foodborne diseases.”
PM Shehbaz said that everyone involved in agriculture and food systems, including farmers, livestock breeders, fishers, researchers, and food industry participants, must play a crucial role in ensuring food safety.
He mentioned, “World Food Safety Day is observed under the auspices of the United Nations and jointly led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The day highlights the importance of preventing, detecting, and effectively managing foodborne risks and diseases.”
“This year’s theme, ‘From Burden to Solutions: Safe Food Everywhere,’ highlights the necessity of turning scientific evidence into practical solutions that guarantee safe food for everyone,” he noted.
He also stated, “This year marks the release of a detailed report by the World Health Organisation that provides updated global, regional, and national estimates of foodborne diseases, related deaths, and their effects on public health.
He added that tackling foodborne diseases and malnutrition from unsafe food is a collective duty that needs joint efforts.
PM Shehbaz Sharif continued, “Pakistan is blessed with fertile land, hardworking farmers, and abundant agricultural resources and potential. However, our agriculture sector faces a range of challenges, including limited research capacity, climate change, water scarcity, population growth, and evolving food consumption patterns. Government is pursuing integrated and forward-looking strategies to address these challenges.”
He further mentioned that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research is taking extensive steps to boost food security, improve agricultural productivity, and reduce climate-related effects through research and technology-based solutions.
These initiatives involve providing quality seeds, better access to agricultural inputs, increased mechanisation, strengthening agricultural value chains, improving storage facilities, and improving market systems.
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