Climate-resilient
low carbon economy, ownership of MDGs, pro-poor good governance can help
achieve food security and fight hunger, mal-nutrituion and bring livelihood to
600 million poor in South Asia, said today the South Asian development experts,
researchers, scientists and representatives of key non-governmental
oranisations in their respective addresses at the second day of the three-day
14th South Asia “Sustainable Development Conference” (SDC).
Held under the theme ‘Re-defining Paradigms of Sustainable Development in South
Asia’, the regional moot has been organised by Sustainable Development Policy
Institute (SDPI) here on Wednesday.
Speaking at the session on ‘Climate Change Concerns and Their Possible Impacts
on South Asian Countries’, Bipul Chatterjee of Consumer Unity & Trust
Society (CUTS) International, India said food insecurity and livelihood threats
in South Asia are due to climate change impacts such as flooding and sea levels
rise.
He called for adapting to climate resilient measures including low-carbon
economy to minimise the ramifications of climate change.
Naseer Memon of Strengthening Participatory Organizations said 70 percent of
population depends on agriculture for their livelihood in South Asia and is
prone to disasters. He said regional cooperation in terms of knowledge sharing
and technical collaboration is vital for disaster management.
Addressing another relevant session on ‘Factors Affecting the Food Security
Situation in Resource Constrained Pakistan, the food security experts remarked
food availability in market never mean that the poor sections of society have
adequate access to it.
Citing inconsistent growth trends in supply and demand of food in Pakistan,
Umer Malik of the Mehboob-ul-Haq Human Development Center said access to food
and not production is a major challenge due to decreasing purchasing power,
insufficient storage capacities and poor investment in agriculture research,
land distribution, and agriculture credit distribution. Mehnaz Ajmal of the
Oxfam GB said there is a need to protect small holding farmers from the shocks
of food price inflation and costs of inputs to ensure food security.
In the
panel on ‘Development Beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)’, Dr. Saba Gul
Khattak, SDPI lamented over lack of focus on women empowerment.
Afshan Ahmad from Germany called for ownership of MDGs achievement by the
government by providing basic amenities to the poor.
She said the cost of terrorism is one of the main causes of off-tracking MDGs
in Pakistan, a state in the making.
Dr. Peter Taylor from Canada highlighted room for improvement in the quality of
policy-making processes in South Asia and maintained that research think
institutes are the key for evidence-based information.
Dr. Sagar Sharma of Khatmandu University, Nepal said as a whole, the role of
non-state holders for MDGs was more effective than the state holders. Dr.
Bishnu Raj Upreti, Nepal said MDGs need to be redefined in the context of
conflict and peace in the region and within the countries.
In the session on ‘Governance Challenge: Is there a Way Out?’ the speakers said
the governance constraints have to be seen in political and military
institutions perspectives.
Dr. Ishrat Hussain, of Institute of Business Administration, Karachi
underscored that only those institutions should be focused for governance
reforms, which have high pay off, spillovers and linkages to other services.
Barrister Dr Ehtasham Anwar said without reforming the structure of governance,
much awaited dawn would never arrive in our homeland.
Syed Akbar
Zaidi, a noted economist said the foreign aid should be stopped as both
military and political elites have mismanaged it, as 42 percent aid received
was spent on military purposes.
Foqia Sadiq Khan of SDPI, mourn that violation of laws are noticed only when it
is done by the weak and less resourceful sections of the society; while
violation by elites remains unnoticed.
In the session ‘Revisiting Poverty Debate: Alternative Ways for
Conceptualization, Measurement and Targeting’, Arif Naveed of SDPI, sharing
district level poverty analysis, said 18 out of 20 poorest districts in
Pakistan are in Balochistan and 20 least poor districts are located in Southern
Punjab.
He said the research showed severe inter-provincial disparities in poverty and
poverty in Pakistan seems to have an ethnic face. While Punjab is overall the
least poor province, the Southern part of the province faces extreme levels of
poverty, he remarked.
Dr. Vaqar Ahmed from SDPI and economist Dr. Sajjad Akhter were of the view that
the issue of poverty should not be politicised and institutions such as Federal
Bureau of Statistics and Planning Commission should work as autonomous bodies
for sustained delivery of their mandated role.
International poverty expert Dr. Sabina Alkair from the University Oxford said
that there is a need for diversified and quality data collection for rigorous
analysis of poverty.
During the session on ‘Security and Development: The Geo-politics of
China-Pakistan-India relationship’ the speakers said bilateral relationships
among the three countries primarily revolve around their “national security
interests” while ignoring human development.
Senator Hasil Bizenjo lamented unrelenting conflicts and their negative
implications on people.
Amna Yousaf Khokar of Institute of Strategic Studies said Pakistan is still
following old security dilemma of threats to its territorial integrity. She
said Pakistan needed to reprioritise its national policy in view of changing
security priorities towards economic wealth.
Dibyesh Anand from Westminster University UK said a people-centered security
mechanism provides new opportunities for sustainable development and breaks
ground for better inter-state relations.
Speaking in a panel, Dr. Saeed Shafaqat of SDPI said the 18th
amendment is an appreciable paradigm shift that devolves powers from center to
provinces, but faces resistance and urged provinces should recognize their
powers and should not let the interrupters to interrupt.
Erum Haider of SDPI said that the 18th amendment has enhanced the
fiscal responsibility of the provinces adding there is a lack of capacity in
provinces, which can be addressed with incentives.
In the session on ‘Livelihood Options in Conflict-Affected Situations’ the experts said ensuring livelihood
security, justice, rule of law and good governance, reconstruction and
development in the conflict-hit areas face tremendous challenges.
In the session on ‘Education Financing in Pakistan: Challenges and Way Forward’
Jemal Ahmad of the ActionAid said education is important for strong
nation-building and human development.
In the session on ‘Indus River Watershed: Adapting, Mitigating and Sustaining
the Social Ecological Change, Dr. Ghulam Akbar of WWF, Dr. Abdul N. Laghari of
UET of Nawabshah, Naghmana Ghafoor of Punjab government said water issues
should be seen in a broader ecological context.
Ahmad Salim and Dr Lubna from SDPI were of the view that by promoting Sufism,
we can curb religious extremism and militancy in the region.
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