ISLAMABAD According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, the number of people experiencing high degrees of acute food insecurity has declined during the second half of 2024 due to somewhat increased food availability.
Between the monsoon season and post-harvest, the analysis predicted that food availability will increase in the second half of 2024, bringing the estimated number of people experiencing acute food insecurity down to 7.9 million.
Due in large part to climate shocks, limited access to food, animal mortality, and diminished livelihoods, it was estimated that 8 million people would experience severe food insecurity in the first half of 2024.
According to the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance’s “Pakistan Assistance Overview,” the bureau gave Pakistan close to $16 million to support resilience, risk reduction, and early recovery initiatives that would increase the ability of vulnerable populations to withstand natural disasters. Through the use of this financing, USAID’s BHA supports livelihood-strengthening initiatives, such as providing training on livestock management techniques.
Through the processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables, the Bureau’s partner organization offered women financial assistance and training to increase their capacity to diversify their sources of income. Small-scale farmers with both on- and off-farm sources of income received in-kind assistance, monetary awards, and capacity-building from the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development with assistance from BHA.
In fiscal year 2024, BHA gave Pakistan $5.3 million in nutrition assistance to prevent and treat acute malnutrition. More than 25,700 people were treated for acute malnutrition by the Bureau’s partners, the World Health Organization and Unicef, who supported baby and young child feeding practices throughout the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan and provided ready-to-use therapeutic food.
To treat and manage acute malnutrition in children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, the World Food Programme (WFP) used a community-based strategy in conjunction with BHA financing. In addition to empowering local people to recognize and treat acute malnutrition, WFP’s approach seeks to strengthen the capabilities of national and local health systems.
