KP finalises first-ever food security policy

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has finalised its first-ever Food Security Policy to ensure food security in the province.

The final draft of the policy was presented to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in a meeting, who agreeing to the draft, approved the policy in principle and directed the authorities concerned to present the same in the upcoming meeting of the provincial cabinet on Monday for final approval.

The policy is aimed at attaining sustainable food security, poverty alleviation and generates employment opportunities through achieving higher sustainable economic growth in the province.

It was further informed that short-term plan would be of two to three years duration which would cost around Rs56.00 billion and medium-term plan would be of four to seven years with an estimated cost of Rs109.00 billion whereas the long-term plan would be of eight to ten years to be implemented with an estimated cost of Rs70.00 billion. Under the short-term plan 19 different initiatives/measures had been proposed to increase agricultural products in the province.

Similarly, 24 different measures/initiatives including construction of small dams, raising of the existing dams, development of maximum command areas of these dams and others have been proposed under the mid-term plan whereas nine various measures including construction of large dams, cultivation of olive plants at vast scale and others have been proposed under the long-term plan.

Regarding estimated impacts of these plans, it was informed that implementation of the short-term plan would generate an additional income of Rs21.00 billion per annum, the mid-term plan would generate an additional income of Rs18.00 billion per annum whereas the long-term plan, on execution, would generate an income of Rs22.00 billion.