Attachments
Natural disasters, economic challenges, and limited livelihood opportunities drive acute food insecurity in 68 rural districts of Pakistan
Overview
Between November 2024 and March 2025 (current period), corresponding to the lean season in most districts and harvest season for Rabi (winter) in a few distrcits, approximately 11 million people in Pakistan’s rural population (22 percent of the analysed population) are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, classified in IPC Phase 3 or above. This includes 1.7 million people (3 percent of the population analysed) experiencing critical levels of acute food insecurity – IPC Phase 4 (Emergency). This classification is characterized by large food gaps and high levels of acute malnutrition. Approximately 9.3 million people (19 percent of the population analysed) are experiencing crisis levels of acute food insecurity, classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). In Phase 3, households are unable to meet their essential food requirements and resort to unstainable coping measures. These populations urgently require interventions to safeguard livelihoods, mitigate food deficits and saves lives.
The IPC acute food insecurity (AFI) analysis in Pakistan covered 68 flood-affected, vulnerable rural districts. These districts, spread across Balochistan (25), Sindh (18), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (25), encompass approximately 50.8 million people or 20 percent of Pakistan’s total population. Notably, these provinces and districts are marked by widespread food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty.
In the current period, four districts (Swat, Khairpur, Larkana, and Naushahro Feroze) out of the 68 rural districts analysed, are classified in IPC Phase 2 (Stressed) while the remaining 64 districts are classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). Between November 2024 and March 2025, the highest incidence of acute food insecurity is observed in Musakhel district with 35 percent of its population classified in Phase 3 or above, out of which 10 percent are in Phase 4. This is followed by the districts of Chagai, Kachhi, Kalat, Kolai palas kohistan and Tor ghar where 30 percent of the population is classified in Phase 3 or above, with 5 percent in Phase 4.