HarvestPlus Pakistan

07/06/2026

This World Food Safety Day, let’s remember: safe food isn’t just a health issue — it’s the foundation of strong communities, resilient economies, and a healthier future for all.

From farm to table, we need innovation, data, and cross-sector teamwork to cut preventable risks and strengthen our food systems.

Food safety is everyone’s responsibility. When science, technology, and people work together, real progress happens.

28/05/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁! 📙

Climate shocks, conflict, rising food prices, and weak health systems are pushing millions further into hunger and malnutrition. But the report also makes one thing clear: integrated food and health systems can protect lives and build resilience. ✅

Here are some eye-opening findings from the report :
▪️ 2.6 Billion people globally still cannot afford a healthy diet.
▪️Major aid cuts could leave 2.3 million children without treatment for severe acute malnutrition and contribute to an estimated 369,000 additional child deaths every year.
▪️In Africa, agricultural productivity growth has declined by 34% since 1961 due to climate change and related challenges.
▪️Yet, 70% of nutrition commitments reviewed showed NO connection to gender, despite women playing a critical role in food security and nutrition.
▪️The good news? Every US$1 invested in addressing undernutrition can generate a return of US$23.

The report calls for stronger accountability, climate-resilient nutrition systems, investment in nutritious foods, and better integration between agriculture, health, social protection, and climate action.

Read the full 2026 Global Nutrition Report and explore the recommendations shaping the future of global nutrition 🔗 https://globalnutritionreport.org/reports/2026-global-nutrition-report/
HarvestPlus HarvestPlus Solutions CGIAR International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) NARC-National Agricultural Research Centre Islamabad Wheat Research Institute, Faisalabad University of Agriculture Faisalabad - Official fans

19/05/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

A major new publication by FAO, CABI, IFPRI, Hesat2030, and the Shamba Centre identifies 10 high-impact nutrition-sensitive interventions that donors and governments should prioritize to end hunger and malnutrition, while protecting the planet.

Biofortification made the list.

The report recognizes biofortified crops as a cost-effective, scalable solution for improving micronutrient intake through foods people already know and eat, from iron beans to vitamin A maize, and zinc wheat to rice in the Global South.

The evidence is powerful:
✅Based on 1,732 studies across 83 countries
✅Focused on low- and middle-income countries
✅Centered on healthier diets, resilient food systems, and better nutrition outcomes

This is more than recognition. It’s guidance for donors, policymakers, and partners: investing in nutrition-sensitive agrifood systems is essential for the future.

Read the full report "Can the agricultural development community end hunger differently?" here👉: https://www.shambacentre.org/new-report-identifies-10-high-impact-nutrition-sensitive-interventions

07/05/2026

📢 Join International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), HarvestPlus, and HarvestPlus Solutions for a virtual seminar, “Success Pathways for Scaling Biofortified Crops.” on May 12, 2026.

The event will offer a practical, experience-based discussion on what it takes to scale biofortified crops, highlighting what has worked, what has not, and the enabling factors that have supported success across different country contexts.
Speakers will also share practical examples from Pakistan, Nigeria, and other countries, with a focus on enabling environments and private sector engagement in scaling biofortified crops.

🎟️ Register here: https://www.ifpri.org/event/success-pathways-for-scaling-biofortified-crops/
CGIAR fans Wheat Research Institute, Faisalabad NARC-National Agricultural Research Centre Islamabad University of Agriculture Faisalabad - Official

10/04/2026

🌍 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Women are at the heart of our food systems—growing food, nourishing families, running enterprises, and strengthening rural economies. Yet many still face barriers to resources, training, markets, and decision-making power.

In our April 2026 HarvestPlus Solutions Newsletter, we mark International Women’s Day by showcasing how collective action across food systems is enabling women not just to participate—but to lead and transform nutrition outcomes.

✨ Inside this edition:

🌾 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬
In Pakistan, access to a solar-powered wheat mill and targeted training is enabling women like Horran Mai to enhance household nutrition while building sustainable income streams.

🌏 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
We spotlight Dr. Wage Ratna Rohaeni, whose leadership in advancing zinc-biofortified rice is helping deliver essential nutrients to millions—demonstrating the far-reaching impact of women in agricultural innovation.

💡 The takeaway? When women are empowered with the right tools, knowledge, and opportunities, they don’t just improve their own livelihoods—they drive lasting change across entire food systems.

📩 Read the full newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/harvestplus/april2026newsletter-10986819?e=13c21ffdd8

26/03/2026

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him, we shall return

This week we are mourning the passing of two talented and kind colleagues, Mourad Moursi and Yaqub Mujahid, who both made lasting contributions to HarvestPlus and the international nutrition and agricultural communities.

Mourad was pivotal in shaping some of HarvestPlus’ most influential work in nutritional sciences, including evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of biofortified crops. He was a leader in dietary assessment worldwide and was deeply committed to sharing this expertise with the hundreds of nutritionists he trained. As a colleague and friend, Mourad was exceptionally thoughtful, full of joy, and intellectually creative—we will deeply miss the laughs we frequently shared with him.

Yaqub was a remarkable scientist who made a significant contribution to improving the food system in Pakistan and to the global wheat community. His leadership was instrumental in launching and scaling zinc wheat breeding in Pakistan—now the most successful zinc wheat initiative globally. He excelled at building partnerships, aligning systems, and translating science into real impact for millions of farmers and consumers. Beyond his professional achievements, Yaqub will be remembered for his humility, integrity, and warmth.

Mourad and Yaqub dedicated their lives to improving nutrition, strengthening agricultural systems, and uplifting communities. Their legacies will live on through the countless people they inspired and the impact they helped create.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mourad and Yaqub’s families, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time

25/03/2026

“My community is now eating more nutritious food, and the income I earn helps me send my daughters to school.” – Horran Mai

In a small village in Sindh, Pakistan, a solar-powered wheat mill is doing more than grinding grain.

Through support from HarvestPlus Solutions, Horran Mai received a solar-powered wheat mill and training, allowing her to produce and sell whole-grain flour made from zinc-enriched biofortified wheat. Today, her small business provides nutritious food to her community while generating income to support her family and keep her daughters in school.

Read the full story here:
https://vitalsnews.com/well-being/nutrition/biofortified-wheat-tackling-nutritional-deficiencies-improving-livelihoods-in-pakistan/
CGIAR HarvestPlus PARC Pakistan Agricultural Research Council UVAS

20/03/2026

It is with deep sorrow that we share the sad news of the passing of Dr. Yaqub Mujahid, Country Manager Pakistan, who returned to his Creator earlier this week.

Please remember him and his family in your prayers.

HarvesrPlus Pakistan Team

12/03/2026

Today’s is Jamila from Pakistan

Jamila is an agripreneur from Khanewal, Punjab, Pakistan, who runs a solar-powered flour mill producing zinc wheat flour for her community. She is showing how clean energy and skills can transform lives.

Jamila’s journey:

Ten years ago, after losing her husband, Jamila struggled to feed her three daughters. With support from HarvestPlus Solutions, she received:

✅ Training in food production, small business management & marketing
✅ A solar-powered chakki (flour mill)
✅ Guidance on producing and marketing nutritious zinc wheat flour

Today, her mill:
✅ Produces affordable, nutrient-rich flour for her village
✅ Provides a steady income for her family
✅ Reduces electricity costs and powers her home
✅ Supports her daughters’ education

Through initiatives like this, HarvestPlus Solutions is investing in women to empower entire communities - providing skills, technology, and access to markets so women can generate income, improve nutrition, and inspire change.

Invest in Women, Empower Communities.

Read Jamila’s full story: https://harvestplus.solutions/solar-energy-empowering-pakistani-women-to-earn-livelihoods-with-dignity/


fans UVAS PARC Pakistan Agricultural Research Council CGIAR Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada

12/03/2026

📢 New peer-reviewed tool to measure the reach of ag-nutrition interventions

How many people are actually consuming biofortified foods? Until now, answering that question consistently and credibly has been a challenge.

A newly published, peer-reviewed tool developed by researchers from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)’s HarvestPlus program, in collaboration with researchers from GroundWork and the Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT, provides a systematic and replicable way to estimate the reach and coverage of nutrient-enriched foods scaled through food systems wide agricultural nutrition interventions.

Using 2023 data, the team estimates that:

🇧🇩 Bangladesh
• 13–16 million people (8–9% of the population) consumed zinc rice food

🇵🇰 Pakistan
• 97–173 million people (39–70% of the population) consumed zinc wheat food

🇳🇬 Nigeria
• 42–66 million people (18–29%) consumed vitamin A maize food
• 25–38 million people (11–17%) consumed vitamin A cassava food

📊 In total: Across these four crops and three countries, an estimated 177 to 293 million people consumed biofortified foods in 2023.

This tool offers policymakers and national partners a practical way to track who is being reached—through farms or markets—and to better assess progress in tackling micronutrient deficiencies.

Better measurement means better decisions—and ultimately, greater impact.

🔎 Read more here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2026.107653.


fans
HarvestPlus HarvestPlus Solutions HarvestPlus Solutions Bangladesh HarvestPlus Solutions Nigeria Grow Further Punjab Seed Corporation PARC Pakistan Agricultural Research Council International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) CGIAR