Pakistan’s food system is producing enough calories, but not enough healthy, nutritious and diverse foods, according to new findings presented at the National Results Dissemination Workshop on the Integrated Roadmap for Sustainable Food Systems Transformation in Pakistan, held today at the Marriott Hotel, Islamabad. The analysis, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, the Ministry of National Food Security & Research, and UN partners including WFP, UNICEF, IFAD, and WHO, reveals deep structural imbalances in food availability that undermine nutrition, public health, and long-term development
outcomes.
The National Results Dissemination Workshop provided a platform for government institutions,
development partners, academia, and the private sector to review the evidence, validate findings,
and identify priority actions. The workshop forms part of the Integrated Roadmap for Sustainable
Food Systems Transformation in Pakistan, supported by the UNSDG Fund Food Systems
Transformation Initiative. Through continued collaboration and evidence-based policymaking, the
initiative aims to support Pakistan in advancing nutrition-sensitive, climate-resilient, and inclusive
food systems, aligned with national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Major gaps in foods essential for healthy diets
The analysis reveals that while Pakistan’s overall food energy availability is adequate, the national
food supply falls short of what is needed to support healthy diets in line with the National Food
Based Dietary Guidelines (2018). Significant gaps persist in the availability of key food groups,
including:
* Fruits and vegetables
* Pulses and legumes
These shortages directly weaken efforts to address malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and
diet-related diseases.
Oversupply of cereals, sugar, and oils worsening diet quality
At the same time, Pakistan’s food system is characterized by a substantial oversupply of cereals &
grains, sugar, and edible oils, far exceeding levels recommended for healthy diets. This imbalance
reinforces cereal-heavy consumption patterns, limits dietary diversity, and contributes to the rising
burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
* Grains and cereals dominate food consumption, across rural and urban areas alike, with
particularly high reliance in rural households. While this ensures calorie intake, it comes at
the cost of diet quality.
* Milk and milk products are the second most consumed food group nationally. Urban and
national averages are similar; rural consumption is slightly lower.
* Consumption of vegetables remains moderate, but fruit intake is consistently low, especially
in rural areas signaling widespread micronutrient gaps.
* Protein sources beyond dairy remain limited.
* Consumption of meat, poultry, and eggs remains low overall and is especially limited in rural
areas.
* Consumption of pulses remains insufficient to compensate for low animal-source foods.
Rising consumption of sugar and processed foods
* The analysis highlights concerning trends in sweets and snacks consumption. Rural
households consume more free sugar and fats than urban households, reflecting reliance on
inexpensive, energy-dense foods. Provincial differences are stark, with particularly high
sugar consumption observed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
* Complementary market data show that sales volumes of processed foods in Pakistan have
nearly doubled in recent years, pointing to rapid dietary shifts with serious public health
implications.
A growing double burden of malnutrition
These dietary patterns are contributing to Pakistan’s double burden of malnutrition, where
undernutrition coexists with rising obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
According to national and international estimates from various data sources:
* Diabetes affects 34.5 million people in Pakistan, including 1 in 3 adults.
* NCDs now account for 58% of all deaths nationwide.
* Cardiovascular disease alone claims nearly 400,000 lives annually.
Experts warn that without decisive action to improve the food systems; these trends will continue to
place immense strain on health systems and economic productivity.
Fiscal support to agriculture
In 2025, the government provided approximately Rs 600 billion in fiscal support to the agriculture
sector. Wheat remained the largest beneficiary (10% of total fiscal support), followed by rice, cotton,
sugarcane, maize, horticulture, and livestock. Types of government support to farmers includes
water-subsidy (subsidy on tubewells), inputs, machinery, processing etc. 53% of the fiscal support
(direct and indirect) is for the wheat sector, followed by 12% rice and 10% to sugarcane sector. The
government incentivizes grain and unhealthy foods.
Recommendations: a policy shift required
* The findings highlight the need for targeted government incentives and a strategic
reallocation of subsidies to boost the production, affordability, and accessibility of nutrient
rich foods, particularly fruits, vegetables, and pulses to promote healthier diets across
Pakistan.
* Consider increasing taxes on sugar and sugary beverages and confectionery, with revenues
reinvested in nutrition and healthy food programs. Offer tax incentives or preferential
procurement for companies that meet sugar reduction targets.
* Promote behavioral change campaigns to shift consumer preferences toward healthier
diets to address demand-side interventions.
* Provide incentives for farmers to rotate with pulses, oilseeds, or horticulture crops with wheat
to reduce over-reliance on wheat.
* Fruits & vegetables sector has loss & waste of up to 30%. Reducing this loss is a quick, short
term solution to increase healthy food availability.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)