The COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Security in Pakistan

Khan, Mohisn (2021). The Covid 19 Pandemic and Food Secuirty in Pakistan. MSR Working Paper Nr. 06-2021.

12 Pages Posted: 4 Aug 2021

See all articles by Mohsin Khan

Mohsin Khan

Government of the Republic of Korea - Korea International Cooperation Agency; Northeastern University - School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, Students

Date Written: July 30, 2021

Abstract

Pakistan currently faces its worse social and economic crises amidst COVID19 pandemic. The nationwide lockdown, desert locust attack, and rains have further exacerbated the economic crises, particularly raising food prices, unemployment, poverty and endangered food security of the public. This paper ascertain the ongoing pandemic, food crises, and concludes that the corona pandemic, combined with other factors such floods, locust attack and delayed decision making, caused a nation-wide food insecurity crises, particularly affecting the agricultural, and livestock sector followed by food supply chains. Similarly, the higher risk factors towards Food security are increased retail prices of food items, combined with reduced incomes, meaning that more and more households have to cut down on the quantity and quality of their food consumption. It is believed that this situation would otherwise be averted, if proper and timely interventions were taken. On the recommendations side, priority should be given to address underlying food security crises, by diversifying agricultural sector, subsidizing food items, tackling viral spread by strengthening health system, improve food and price surveillance, reduce rural poverty, in particular by provision of more and decent jobs in the rural economy, extending social protection to all, facilitating and promoting the formalization of the informal economy, labor rights, leverage tech and private-public partnership to curtail Food insecurity amidst COVID-19 crises.

Keywords: COVID-19, Agriculture, Livestock, Food Security, Social Protection, Locust Attack, Pakistan

JEL Classification: H12, H41

Suggested Citation

Khan, Mohsin, The COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Security in Pakistan (July 30, 2021). Khan, Mohisn (2021). The Covid 19 Pandemic and Food Secuirty in Pakistan. MSR Working Paper Nr. 06-2021. , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3896173 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3896173

Mohsin Khan (Contact Author)

Government of the Republic of Korea - Korea International Cooperation Agency

Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

Northeastern University - School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, Students ( email )

Boston, MA
USA

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