Food diversification imperative to fight against malnutrition: Dr Iqrar.

FAISALABAD -- University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan has said that food diversification was imperative to fight against the menace of malnutrition.

He was addressed the 1st International Pak-Korea Nutrition Centre (PKNC) conference on 'Nutrition and Public Health for Developing Economies and Sustainable Solutions,' organised by PKNC and National Institute of Food Science and Technology, UAF here on Monday.

Dr Iqrar said that amid the situation of massive malnutrition which was hitting 40 per cent population of the country, it was prerequisite to sensitise the people about food diversification, healthy food, changing lifestyle, promote maize-wheat flour and indigenous solutions to overcome hidden hunger.

He said that Pakistan had need of 30 million tons of wheat to feed its entire population whereas the country was producing 27 million tons wheat. 'We can fulfill the demand if we mix 15 per cent maize in the wheat', he said, adding that it would not only slash wheat import but also improve health of the people.

He said that per acre production of wheat had been facing stagnant for the last many years whereas per acre maize productivity had gone up to manifolds. Therefore, we should take the issue of malnutrition seriously and use maize to overcome the...