Challenge of poverty alleviation

As the world observed International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Oct. 17, about 50 million Pakistanis still lived below the poverty line and went to bed without having two meals. Pakistan has a long history of poverty, hunger and destitution. The country has been undertaking efforts to fight poverty since 1970s but the number of poor swelled particularly in the 1990s due to corruption and economic mismanagement.
After making good progress in the early 2000s, Pakistan faltered again over the past decade and has seen a rise in the poverty levels. Despite favorable macroeconomic indicators and encouraging overall economic prospects in recent past, poverty alleviation remains one of the toughest challenges for government, especially in the rural areas.
Poverty is a multi-dimensional problem in Pakistan that covers issues like high population growth rates, low spending on health care, education and technology adoption and weak capital injection. As a result, productivity rates in Pakistan remain comparatively lower than even several other developing countries. Directly linked with poverty is the concern of food security in Pakistan. Almost 77 million people in the country are facing food insecurity, which explains its alarmingly high level of malnutrition and child mortality.
Eradication of poverty should remain a top priority of the government, as it is crucial for maintaining peace, stability and promoting economic development. Widening socioeconomic inequalities may spark social unrest and violence that will in turn hurt Pakistan’s overall economic growth. Further, the Sharif government has a responsibility to fulfill its pledge of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end extreme poverty and discrimination. The answer to alleviating poverty in Pakistan lies in adopting sustainable pro-poor strategies that are inclusive and guarantee basic human rights for all.
As a predominantly agrarian economy, Pakistan needs to fully focus on transforming the agriculture sector to boost its rural economy. Higher agriculture growth through adoption of technology and evidence-based policies has the potential to ensure food and water security for rural population. Improvements in the supply chain will promote equitable food distribution and reduce costs of accessing food for poor households. At the same time, there is a need to build human capital by investing in education and skills of the work force to enhance agricultural productivity rate.
Greater inclusion of all communities and overcoming marginalization is increasingly becoming an important theme for poverty alleviation. Historically, the poorer segments of society in Pakistan have not been allowed to participate and contribute in economic matters. To lift people out of the vicious cycle of poverty, all private and public stakeholders must improve access to micro credits and other productive assets for farmers to employ in production. Greater availability of financial and social services will directly empower the poor and encourage them to invest in their businesses or farmland. This freedom and protection of basic rights will lead a paradigm shift in the rural cultural landscape, which is currently characterized by labor exploitation and feudalism. However, such progress will require a complete change in mindset as it challenges the conventional power balance in our society.
Given Pakistan’s stable political and economic situation, there can be no better time to act for poverty reduction. The government must step up its efforts now to combat poverty and social exclusion for the country’s better future.