In Pakistan, malnutrition, particularly among children and women, remains a significant public health challenge. GAIN's work in the country focuses on helping the government address these issues through evidence-based policies and initiatives, while fostering collaboration among various stakeholders.
GAIN Pakistan in collaboration with partners is working on the nutrient enriched crops by significantly expanding the availability and reach of food and food products made with biofortified Zinc wheat (BZW), a staple crop. GAIN strenghten the seed supply, production, segregation, procurement and processing of the Biofortified Zinc Wheat to make the biofortified Zinc Wheat Products available in the market. The project also engages government at different levels through advocacy to influence relevant.
The project identified and developed Biofortified Zinc Wheat hotspots by engaging farmers, government departments and other value chain actors in three districts of Punjab Province. These efforts enhanced production and promoted greater consumption with a particular focus on vulnerable populations & farmers at the lowest socioeconomic levels. In parallel, GAIN supported the Government of Balochistan in assessing the wheat multiplication system and through the
Balochistan Agriculture Research and Development Centre (BARDC), provided technical assistance and supplied Biofortified Zinc Biofortified Wheat basic seed for multiplication and commercialization, strengthening local capacity and contributing to improved nutrition outcomes.
GAIN convenes the SUN Business Network (SBN) Pakistan, a network of businesses committed to improving nutrition that aims to increase the availability and affordability of safe, nutritious foods to consumers, especially low-income consumers through innovative solutions at national levels.
In Pakistan, GAIN convenes the SUN Business Network under the stewardship of the SUN Secretariat.
Under SBN, GAIN endeavours to:
Much of Pakistan's fruit processing industry operates within the informal sector, characterized by small-scale operations, traditional methods, and limited access to modern technologies. These practices often result in inefficiencies, higher post-harvest losses, and limited product quality control. Market access and value addition are constrained, impacting income opportunities for smallholder farmers, particularly women. The Nutritious Fruit Bar Project funded by DANIDA was launched in April 2024 in collaboration with local food processing companies with the technical assistance of Arla Food Ingredients (AFI).
The initiative aims to address the high post-harvest losses in apricots and dates by introducing environmentally friendly and sustainable processing techniques in transforming surplus produce of these fruits into value added fruit bars. Ten fruit processing companies have been mobilized and equipped to produce protein balanced fruit based bars. By fostering partnerships with global and local stakeholders through SBN, the project intends to empower more businesses to adopt the innovation in Pakistan.
GAIN Pakistan launched a new initiative funded by DANIDA Green Business Partnerships (DGBP) supported by GAIN’s other partners like Arla Food Ingredients (AFI), Danish Industry (DI) and local cheese processing companies to co-create solutions by utilizing the dairy bi-stream (whey) that fulfil several objectives simultaneously: i) reduced environmental strain caused by dairy processors by valorizing the whey ii) sustainable and responsible economic growth and new job creation in the dairy value chain; and iii) improved consumption of nutritious whey-based products by vulnerable populations. The project brings together private companies, government agencies, civil society organizations, and academia to co-develop dairy products that are affordable to low-income consumers in Pakistan. The collaboration uses fortification to address micronutrient gaps while ensuring a low retail price point per serving. The project catalyses the market development of dairy value chain and increases profitability for local processors and other value chain actors. Additionally, it also reduces the environmental impact of unsafe disposal of whey water and contributing in reducing malnutrition by making available a healthy and nutritious whey-based food products.
The Nourishing Food Pathways Programme is an ambitious initiative that aims to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), by supporting inclusive and coherent food systems transformation in Pakistan. Building on the work of the UN Food Systems Summit, the programme focuses on translating national pathways into implementable actions, promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration, supporting the delivery of food systems policy priorities, and strengthening capacity building and knowledge sharing. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and implemented by GAIN in collaboration with over one hundred partners across ten countries, including Pakistan, the programme has already achieved significant milestones. These include the development of the National Nutrition Research Agenda, formulation of the Healthy Diet Strategy for Balochistan, design and implementation of HEC accreditation of Food Systems Transformation courses, development of a Food Safety Roadmap for Punjab, and formulation of School Meal Guidelines for Punjab. Through these efforts, the programme is shaping evidence-based policies, enhancing institutional capacity, and fostering partnerships to drive healthier, more sustainable, and resilient food systems.
GAIN in collaboration with other stakeholders has established a Subnational Food System Dashboard in Pakistan in partnership with the Government of Pakistan to collect subnational data across a range of key food systems indicators to support national and sub-national level stakeholders with the data they need to better understand their national and subnational food systems. After taking over the Food System Dashboard by the government, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, and GAIN are leading the process to strengthen Pakistan’s evidence gap where the federal and provincial Bureaus of Statistics are playing an integral role in data collection across various food systems indicators. The "Subnational Food Systems Dashboard" is an initiative that bridges this gap through credible national, city, and district data across a range of key food systems indicators. It is a comprehensive data source to understand food systems and identify the required transformative actions to improve diets and understand the impact on the climate. The Subnational Food Systems Dashboard will help track progress against indicators and accountability against commitments for food systems transformation, strengthen evidence-based policymaking, improve coordination and integration of policies and actions on food systems, and support the monitoring of progress in food systems over time.
Pakistan is home to one of the largest youth populations in the world, with more than 60% of its people under the age of 30. This demographic reality highlights the critical importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and platforms needed to actively contribute to national development, particularly in addressing challenges around nutrition and food security. Through the Youth Leadership Training Program, GAIN has directly capacitated almost 200 youth across all provinces of Pakistan, including participants from vulnerable and marginalized areas. These young individuals were trained as Master Trainers, enabling them not only to strengthen their own leadership capacities but also to train and mentor other youth within their communities. Beyond capacity building, GAIN also provides grants to youth leaders to implement their Community Action Plans (Collective Actions), turning ideas into impactful initiatives that improve local food systems. These projects demonstrate how young people, when supported and resourced, can bring forward practical, innovative, and community-driven solutions to challenges of nutrition and food security.
Launched by the Government of Egypt at COP27, I-CAN is a global, multisectoral effort to strengthen collaboration and resilience at the intersection of climate, nutrition, and health. Core partners include WHO, FAO, the UN Nutrition Secretariat, and the SUN Movement. GAIN supports I-CAN in Pakistan by providing technical assistance, promoting knowledge sharing, and coordinating with national stakeholders.
The initiative aims to integrate nutrition into climate strategies, influencing Pakistan’s NAP and NDCs, and offers a pathway to tackle climate, nutrition, and health challenges through a coordinated, resilient approach. By leveraging technical expertise, government leadership, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, I-CAN positions Pakistan as a regional leader in climate-resilient nutrition, securing a healthier future for its people
Pakistan Social protection Pathways
The Social Protection Project is a five-year initiative aimed at improving nutrition and strengthening gender inclusivity within social protection programs, particularly in food distribution networks (FDNs). The project seeks to identify and address community-level barriers to adequate nutrition and gender inclusivity in these networks. It also focuses on building a stronger evidence base for the implementation and potential nutrition impacts of Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) in social protection programs, while creating greater awareness and buy-in among system actors for the uptake and expansion of SBCC. Working with FDNs, the project enhances access to and the nutritional impact of food distribution networks for vulnerable communities. It promotes improved coordination and oversight of FDNs, strengthens their capacity to provide nutritious foods, and supports the integration of local value chains. An enabling environment is fostered through the establishment of an effective coordination mechanism (through a Resource Centre), along with improved access to and demand for safe and nutritious foods.