Pakistan’s Food Supply Crisis: Fruits and Veggies Short as Millions Struggle to Eat Healthy
A new FAO report reveals a critical shortage of fruits and vegetables in Pakistan, with over 60% of the population unable to afford a healthy diet.
Pakistan is facing a severe misalignment between its food supply and the nutritional needs of its people. A recent policy brief by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), titled “Food Supply for Healthy Diets in Pakistan,” warns that the country is struggling to provide essential nutrients, leaving a vast majority of the population vulnerable to malnutrition and diet-related diseases.
The report paints a grim picture of food accessibility, revealing that more than 60 per cent of Pakistanis cannot afford a healthy diet. While the country produces an excess of cereals and sugar, there are persistent and widening gaps in the availability of vegetables, fruits, pulses, roots, and tubers.
The Growing Gap: Where Pakistan is Falling Short
The FAO assessment analyzed food supply trends between 2010 and 2023 across ten different food groups. The findings show a worrying trend where the shortage of essential nutritious foods has actually worsened over the last decade.
Vegetables and Fruits
The supply gap for vegetables has expanded significantly. In 2010, the shortfall was estimated between 10.9 million and 17.8 million tonnes; by 2023, this gap grew to between 13 million and 21.6 million tonnes.
The situation for fruits is even more stark. The estimated shortfall rose from a range of 1.9 million to 10.3 million tonnes in 2010 to between 3.9 million and 14.3 million tonnes in 2023.
Other Food Groups
Legumes and pulses also remain in short supply. However, the report did note some positive shifts: the supply of meat, eggs, and milk products has shown improvement. Additionally, fats and oils, which had a small supply gap in 2010, have since moved into the required range.
A Double Burden of Malnutrition
This imbalance in the food system is creating a public health crisis. The FAO warns that the lack of diverse, nutritious food is contributing to high levels of persistent undernutrition. Simultaneously, the oversupply and consumption of sugar and cereals are driving a rise in noncommunicable diseases related to poor diet.
Although Pakistan established evidence-based dietary guidelines in 2018, the FAO stresses that simply telling people what to eat is not enough. Without making nutritious foods available and affordable, efforts to encourage healthier eating habits will remain insufficient.
The Population Pressure Cooker
The challenge is set to intensify as Pakistan's population continues to surge. The data shows a rapid increase from 189.3 million people in 2010 to 235.2 million in 2023. Projections suggest the population could hit approximately 330 million by 2050.
This demographic explosion, coupled with the impacts of climate change, is expected to place immense pressure on the agrifood system, making the need for better production and distribution more urgent than ever.
FAO’s Roadmap for Recovery
To fix the broken food system, the FAO has proposed a series of coordinated fiscal and regulatory measures aimed at aligning agricultural output with nutritional needs:
- Agricultural Investment: Increasing investment in the production of fruits, vegetables, pulses, roots, and tubers, while supporting milk production in specific regions.
- Waste Reduction: Improving food distribution systems to reduce food waste and post-harvest losses.
- Economic Levers: Implementing evidence-based taxes on foods and beverages high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.
- Consumer Awareness: Introducing front-of-package nutrition labelling and expanding education to change dietary behaviors.
- Policy Updates: Updating national dietary guidelines to better reflect current public health and environmental priorities.
The report concludes that providing incentives to food processors and strengthening the demand for healthier products are critical steps to ensure that the Pakistani population can access the safe and affordable nutrition required for a healthy life.