The determinants of rural household food security in the Punjab, Pakistan: an econometric analysis

Pakistan is one of the leading producers of important agricultural commodities in the world with a relatively high proportion of undernourished population (26 %). This study aims to examine the food security trends in Pakistan in general, and to find out the household level food security and its key determinants in the rural areas of the Punjab Province in particular.

The document shows that although Pakistan is a food sufficient and food secure country at the national level, the household survey of rural households revealed that about 23% of them were measured as being food insecure. Furthermore, it reveals that:

• monthly income, livestock assets, and education levels were positively impacting the rural household food security
• on the other hand, greater household heads’ age, joint family system and family size had negative impacts on household food security
• however, the relative importance of these determinants is still to be defined

Identically, the authors present the following suggestions for improving the implementation and design of food security policy options in the studied region (and similar regions also):

• income generating opportunities especially in remote areas must be created and launched
• special emphasis must be given to secondary education through increasing the enrolments and improving the infrastructure
• technical educational programs must be restructured and reforms must be planned for this aspect of education policy, both in the short and long term
• family planning programs should be made effective, so as to slow down the pace of rapidly growing population, and a comprehensive campaign using print and electronic media should be conducted
• guidance may be sought from the Islamic Economics welfare concepts of ownership, equality and social justice