Following is the full text of United Nations World Food Programme,
Operational Context
Pakistan continues to face a complex landscape of risks, hindering progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Vision 2025. Economic fragility, political polarization, recurrent natural disasters, and high inflation rates deepen vulnerabilities and increase poverty levels, undermining resilience. Ranked 99th out of 129 nations on the Global Hunger Index, Pakistan experiences ‘serious’ hunger levels Hunger Hotspots report). The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) highlights persistent food insecurity and malnutrition, the latest IPC analysis conducted in 2024 is being finalized and pending government endorsement. Despite challenges, the US$1.1 billion received from the IMF, totaling US$3 billion under the Stand-By Arrangement, emphasizes the need for sustained policy efforts, fiscal discipline, market-driven exchange rates, and structural reforms for economic recovery.
World Food Programme’s Country Strategic Plan (2023-2027) aligns with Pakistan’s development objectives and the 2030 Agenda, with a targeted focus on Zero Hunger (SDG 2). Through critical relief efforts and nutrition support, WFP plays a crucial role in supporting vulnerable populations. WFP also supports the Government of Pakistan to strengthen food and nutrition security, offering policy guidance, technical expertise, and sustainable strategies to fortify food systems and strengthen resilience against climate-related challenges.
Operational Updates
Outcome 1 – Disaster Preparedness and Resilience
• WFP provided US$214,000 in cash assistance to help build the resilience of 32,400 beneficiaries in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Sindh through asset creation and livelihood activities.
• WFP and FAO jointly launched a project in the Shaheed Benazirabad district of Sindh province to enhance the resilience of flood-affected communities, reaching up to 7,500 households through community- driven activities.
• WFP hosted the Ambassador of the European Union (EU) in Pakistan, H.E. Dr. Riina Kionka for a field mission in Dadu, Sindh, to visit flood-affected communities who participated in EU-funded activities The delegation met with community members and saw several projects such as rainwater ponds and communal washing pads. The delegation witnessed firsthand how the project strengthened security, built resilience and overall well-being within the community.
Outcome 2 – Nutrition and Education
• WFP supported 53,000 moderately malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) and children under the community management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programme in Balochistan, KP, and Sindh provinces.
• In partnership with Pakistan’s Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), WFP is implementing the Benazir Nashonuma Programme (BNP), a nationwide initiative to prevent stunting. In April, WFP provided 30 million sachets of specialized nutritious food (SNF) to 332,300 PBW, and children aged 6-23 months along with nutrition counseling and access to health services through 544 facilitation centres in 158 districts across the country. Under BNP, 140,950 malnourished PBW and children were enrolled for acute malnutrition treatment, bringing the total number of women and children enrolled in the programme to 1.97 million.
• In Punjab, discussions with Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb focused on providing technical support to the provincial government to develop a provincial strategy for school meals and to initiate joint pilots.
Outcome 3 – Food Systems
• On 22 April, WFP and the Food Department of Balochistan held a kick-off meeting to support the Food Systems Reform Agenda and initiate arrangements to review and revise the Department’s key policies and processes regarding the procurement, storage, distribution, milling, and fortification of wheat in the province
Food Security Analysis
• In partnership with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, WFP began the Comprehensive Food Security and Livelihood Assessment (CFSLA) on 25 April in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. The primary objective of the CFSLA is to assist provincial governments in gathering evidence on food security, identifying the root causes of insecurity, and formulating policy recommendations to address the short and long- term needs of food-insecure households. Spanning 49 districts across four provinces, the assessment aims to collect data by June 2024.
• In March 2024, headline inflation dropped to 20.7 percent from 35.4 percent a year earlier, indicating a notable reduction in consumer price pressures. However, food inflation remained high at 17 percent, largely due to increased fuel and energy costs impacting food production and transportation. Although staple cereal prices like wheat and rice declined slightly month-on-month, year-on-year increases were still significant.
• On 30 April, WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations presented the preliminary findings from the 2024 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) to the Food Security and Agriculture Working Group. Results highlight ongoing critical levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in Pakistan. Findings are pending government endorsement.
Challenges
• Pakistan witnessed its wettest April since 1961, with Balochistan receiving 437 percent more rainfall than average. The heavy rains led to 144 deaths and extensive damage to homes, especially in KP, where 84 people died, including 38 children, with over 3,500 homes damaged. District and provincial governments are leading support efforts for communities affected by weather-related events, while WFP maintains ongoing monitoring.
Donors
The governments of Pakistan, France, Germany, Norway, USA, Zealand, Denmark, Canada, and Japan, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the European Commission
WFP Country Strategy
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Country Strategic Plan (20232027)
Total Requirement Allocated Six-Month Net Funding
(US$) Contributions (US$) Requirements (US$)
787.34 million 245.43 million 13.67 million
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Strategic Result 1: People are better able to meet their urgent food and nutrition needs
Strategic Outcome 1: Communities in Pakistan at higher risk of vulnerability to climate change and other shocks are more resilient and have enhanced capacity to improve their livelihoods by 2027.
Focus area: Resilience building
Activity 1: Enhance the Government’s emergency preparedness.
Activity 2: Strengthen the resilience and self-reliance of communities at higher risk of vulnerability.
Strategic Result 2: People have better nutrition, health and education outcomes
Strategic Outcome 2: Pakistan’s people at higher risk of vulnerability, especially women and children, have greater access to affordable, nutritious diets and basic social services (education, health and nutrition) by 2027.
Focus area: Root Causes
Activity 3: Strengthen Institutional capacity to implement effective nutrition interventions and implementation of the Government’s safety net programme.
Activity 4: Strengthen national social protection systems.
Activity 5: Strengthen school meals safety net programmes.
Strategic Result 3: People have improved and sustainable livelihoods
Strategic Outcome 3: Pakistan’s food systems are resilient to shocks and support access to healthy and nutritious food by all of Pakistan’s communities by 2027.
Focus area: Root Causes
Activity 6: Enhance government and private sector capacity to strengthen the food supply chain system’s resilience to shocks, and supply chain and market system for fortified and other nutritious food.
Strategic Result 1: People are better able to meet their urgent food and nutrition needs
Strategic Outcome 4: Communities in Pakistan at higher risk of vulnerability to climate change and other shocks have access to adequate food and nutrition before, during and in the aftermath of shocks.
Focus area: Crisis response
Activity 7: Strengthen vulnerable communities’ resilience and preparedness
Strategic Result 5: Humanitarian and development actors are more efficient and effective
Strategic Outcome 5: Humanitarian and development partners and Government of Pakistan have access to reliable common services on demand.
Focus area: Crisis response
Activity 8: Ensure more efficient, effective and coordinated interventions.