State of Poverty and Food Sovereignty in South Asia

Islamabad -- The Parliamentary Round Table Caucus on food sovereignty in cooperation with the South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) thematic group on Food Sovereignty, Climate Change, Livelihood and Employment is particularly important after the recent flood's devastating impact on Pakistan agriculture and on peasants. The devastation caused by recent floods has reached alarming proportions. Human sufferings have been aggravated by severe blows dealt to the agricultural sector, which will have longer-term impacts. Standing crops have been washed away and millions of livestock lost. Agriculture is the prime source of income in major parts of the flood-affected areas and the losses incurred have had a direct effect on the livelihoods of the peasants. The losses sustained by the agricultural sector will also worsen food insecurity situation across the country with more acute effects in those flood affected.