Towards a Framework for Achieving Food Security in the Mountains of Pakistan

The agriculture sector in Pakistan sustains the livelihoods of 45 per cent of the national population. Both the direct and indirect contributions of the agriculture sector to overall growth and wellbeing of the people in the country are significant. Agriculture constitutes one-fifth of the GDP and two-fifths of employment in the country. It provides food for domestic consumption, inputs to various food industries, and outputs for export that aids in earning foreign exchange revenue. Poverty, marginalization, and vulnerability are key issues in mountainous areas of Pakistan, especially in rural areas, where the bulk of the population lives and is primarily dependent on agriculture for food and livelihoods. These issues are particularly severe in the country’s most remote northern mountain region, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, where isolated communities, rugged terrain, and ecological fragility make agricultural production difficult and where difficulties of access to markets and services contribute to widespread chronic poverty. Poverty levels in mountain areas are higher than in other parts of the country. Moreover, poverty reduction rates in mountain areas tend to be lower than elsewhere, leading to a further increase in inequality between people in mountain areas and those elsewhere.