Policy gaps deter nutrition investment
ISLAMABAD: While acknowledging that the public sector alone cannot meet nutrition requirements, speakers at a conference said on Wednesday that a lack of policy consistency and coordination among government agencies was restricting the private sector from playing an active role in this regard. Speakers at the session — ‘Mobilising Private Capital and Partnerships’ — at the ‘Act For Nutrition: The…
At a conference titled "Act For Nutrition: The Emergency We Can No Longer Ignore," speakers stressed the need for policy consistency and coordination among government agencies to enable the private sector to play a more active role in addressing Pakistan's nutritional challenges. Corporate Affairs Director at Tetra Pak, Noor Aftab, highlighted that food systems should be treated as critical infrastructure, not just for nutrition, but also for the economy.
He pointed out that Pakistan is one of the largest milk-producing countries, yet there are no laws for safe milk or pasteurisation. The private sector was deterred by a high 18% GST on packed milk in Pakistan, one of the highest worldwide. Noor Aftab also mentioned the successful school milk program implemented in 104 countries, emphasizing its importance in addressing the nutritional needs of young children.
Reza Sumon, Project Manager for Workforce Nutrition, shared a case study from Bangladesh where anaemia rates among the workforce dropped from 51.9% to 32% after interventions that included funding for fortified rice and oils, as well as iron and folic acid tablets. The improved anaemia rates led to a decrease in workplace absenteeism from 70% to 40%, convincing the private sector to invest in nutrition.
Hasan Khurrum Hanif, an agriculture consultant, argued that Pakistani farmers needed a demand pull rather than a supply push, stating that farmers would only produce if the return was lucrative, and the system had to provide them with a favorable ecosystem.
Attiyah Inaam Khan, Head of Corporate Communications and Sustainability at English Biscuit Manufacturers, discussed a program where fortified biscuits were provided to mothers to combat malnutrition. After five years, mothers participating in the study showed improved iron levels during pregnancy, and children born under the study displayed stronger cognitive development.
Khan proposed that the government could incentivize fortification through tax credits and reduce import duties on fortified products. Meanwhile, another session at the conference highlighted that no multisectoral nutrition programs had been launched in the past decade, except the Benazir Nashonuma Programme. Dr. Nazeer Ahmed, Head of Nutrition at the planning ministry, acknowledged the existence of policies and strategies at both the federal and provincial levels but lamented the lack of implementation on the ground.
Senior Project Officer at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Mansoor Ali Masood, stated that the bank was examining malnutrition through an economic lens, focusing on social protection, education, agriculture, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. He highlighted that the ADB was supporting the Benazir Nashonuma Programme and had allocated nearly half of a $960 million fund to address stunting.
Dr. Ammar Malik, Senior Programme Officer for Development Policy and Finance at the Gates Foundation, noted that for every dollar invested in nutrition by a government, the country could receive up to $23 in economic benefits. He also emphasized the need for dedicated efforts to tackle nutrition, including the establishment of a ministry of nutrition.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
