The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) on Friday agreed to work together to produce a new assessment of food security and nutrition in Pakistan.

Under the agreement, outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by WFP Pakistan Deputy Country Director and officer-in-charge Mageed Yahia and SDPI Executive Director Abid Suleri, the two organizations undertook to produce a new analysis to update the findings of the 2009 Food Insecurity in Pakistan report, jointly produced by WFP, the SDPI and Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC).

The analysis, which will draw on data collected in districts and regions across Pakistan, was commissioned by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) to update the food security situation in the country in view of what it said were likely changes due to flood disasters and rising food prices since 2009, said a press release issued here.

Results from the analysis will show the numbers of food insecure people in different parts of the country and provide malnutrition figures, including stunting and underweight among children under five years and Global Acute Malnutrition rates.

“This assessment will provide crucial data for all organizations involved in fighting malnutrition and addressing the food needs of the population, and is the first major step forward under the Government’s Zero Hunger Programme launched earlier this year” said Yahia.

“The right set of policies requires the right type of information, thus this report would be important to combat food insecurity in Pakistan”, said Dr. Suleri.

He thanked the MNSFR for trusting in SDPI to carry out this exercise. He also thanked WFP for its support to carrying out this research which will have enormous value.

The report will be produced in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). APP