SIFC : A SILVER LINING TO COUNTER FOOD INSECURITY IN PAKISTAN

Hira Tahir

Millions of people worldwide are being impacted by the ongoing global food crisis. The
recently released Mid-Year Update of the Global Report on Food Crises highlights the
alarming fact that there are currently over 238 million individuals experiencing acute
food insecurity globally. Pakistan, as the world’s fifth most populous country is currently
grappling with significant challenges related to food insecurity. It has been ranked 99th out
of 129 nations in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) report. The GHI report categorizes
Pakistan’s level of hunger as “serious,” shedding light on the pressing need for
immediate action to address the country’s food security challenges.
Climate change has appeared as the biggest challenge severely affected food security
in Pakistan, particularly through floods that have damaged a significant amount of cropland.
This has resulted in the loss of over 80% of the nation’s crops and a subsequent
increase in the prices of essential items by 44%, as reported by the Pakistan Bureau of
Statistics. Additionally, Pakistan is also grappling with a water crisis, with rapidly declining
water availability per capita. The latest UN report ‘Global Water Security 2023
Assessment’ places Pakistan in the critically water-insecure category. The report
highlights the alarming fact that Pakistan is among the most water-stressed countries
in the world, with rapidly declining water availability per capita its water availability has
decreased by over 80% in the last 70 years.
Pakistan is also facing a decline in Total Factor Productivity (TFP) in its agricultural
sector, which is crucial for efficiency and productivity. Despite employing 37.4% of the
population and contributing 22.7% to GDP, A World Bank report “From Swimming in
Sand to High and Sustainable Growth in Pakistan” confirms the TFP in the agriculture
sector has remained stagnant, trailing behind all other countries, as it has expanded at an
annual rate of less than 1.5 percent which is four times lower than the South Asian
average. This, coupled with a population of about 224 million placing an additional burden on
the country’s already overworked agriculture industry to increase food production.
Recognizing the crucial role of the agriculture sector in addressing food insecurity,
Pakistan government, in collaboration with the armed forces, established SIFC
(Strategic Integrated Food Commodities Company) to facilitate agricultural growth
which has taken the lead by prioritizing agriculture as one of its key sectors. SIFC is
actively working towards supporting and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in
Pakistan through various initiatives and Programs.
In the current fiscal year, several projects worth billions of were allocated for the agriculture
sector to tap huge potentiall. Government has established the Land Information and
Management System Centre of Excellence (LIMS-CoE) to utilize over 9 million hectares of
uncultivated state land for modern agro-farming. LIMS-CoE aims to reclaim wasteland,
make optimal farming decisions, create a master plan for modern farming, adopt
advanced agriculture management practices, utilize cutting-edge technology for
improved yield, and provide effective decision support.
SIFC has signed numerous MoUs with local and foreign investors, facilitating the
cultivation of an extensive 460,000 acres of land. It has also played a key role in
registering WANA’s agricultural processing zone with a specific focus on facilitating
the export of pine nuts. The focus is on increasing agricultural exports and reducing
imports, benefiting the economy. SIFC has already engaged with delegations from Gulf
countries and conducted a roadshow in the UAE to attract investments. The primary
emphasis is on agriculture and livestock corporate farming, with 60,000 acres allocated in
the Cholistan area. Pakistan has proposed a six-billion-dollar investment plan to Saudi
Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain for corporate farming over the next three to five years.
One such initiative is the Horticulture Support Program, which allocates Rs 1000
million to address constraints in horticulture crops, reduce losses, and strengthen value chains
through the use of technology and partnerships. Another project, the Prime Minister’s
National Programme for Solarization of Agricultural Tube-wells, aims to convert
100,000 tube wells to solar power within three years, promoting sustainability and
energy efficiency in agriculture with a budget of Rs 377,017 million. Additionally, the
Green Revolution 2.0 project has been launched with a budget of Rs 5000 million to
enhance agricultural productivity, promote the use of technology, reduce losses, and support
research efforts. through the use of technology and partnerships.
The government projects also include cage culture cluster development, potato tissue
culture commercialization, seed authenticity system establishment, strengthening of labs,
plant breeders’ rights registry, seed certification services in Balochistan, oilseed enhancement
program, Peste Des Petits Ruminants eradication, command area enhancement in Barani
areas, watercourse improvement, shrimp farming cluster development, rice, sugarcane, and
wheat productivity enhancement, research for pulses productivity enhancement, olive
cultivation promotion, trout farming promotion, Sino-Pak agricultural breeding innovations,
water conservation in Barani areas, locust emergency and food security, MARC
mainstreaming in Gilgit-Baltistan, certified seed potato production program, and agriculture
TVET capacity building program.
The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in Pakistan aims to tap into the
immense potential of the agriculture sector. It seeks to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs)
and create opportunities for the domestic population involved in agriculture. There has been
a renewed sense of hope for the economy of Pakistan. The council has brought together
various stakeholders with a common goal of progressing the country This collaborative
approach fosters unity and ensures that all stakeholders work towards the shared objective of
advancing the nation. will help build solutions that prevent hunger and achieve food security
long term.