In a groundbreaking effort to combat hidden hunger and malnutrition, Pakistan launched a nationwide awareness campaign to promote climate smart biofortified zinc wheat varieties. The initiative, which ran through the 2024-25 wheat cropping season, aimed to empower smallholder farmers particularly women with knowledge and skills they need, enhance nutrition security, and boost livelihoods for millions.

• The campaign’s success hinged on its ability to reach and engage farmers, traders, and consumers across the country. To achieve this, the initiative leveraged a mix of traditional and digital platforms, including:
• Radio Pakistan, which aired expert messages, engaging over 10 million listeners.
• Digital media campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, generating over 5 million views and 200,000 engagements. During these engagements, farmers and traders asked questions regarding crop care, nutrition, use of inputs and adopting sustainable agriculture practices.
• Mainstream media stories, reaching over 2 million readers.
• Expert-driven videos, providing guidance on best agricultural practices, nutrition education, and postharvest management.
• Over 6500 farmers including 66 percent women, participated in HarvestPlus-led in person training sessions across nine districts of Pakistan.

These efforts ensured that farmers received timely and accurate information on seed selection, land preparation, input use, weed control and prevention of post-harvest losses. The campaign also emphasized the importance of zinc wheat cultivation, highlighting its benefits, including improved nutrition, better crop yields, and enhanced economic benefits to smallholders ultimately improving their livelihoods.

Tangible Results: Impact on the Ground

The campaign’s impact was not limited to awareness and education. It also delivered concrete results in the fields:

• Farmers planted over 1,87,000 metric tons of certified and approved zinc wheat seed, boosting production of this nutrient-rich staple. The farm saved seed was in addition to this.
• The private sector invested over USD 85 million in Pakistan’s seed industry, reinforcing the economic viability of biofortified wheat.

Empowering Women, Enhancing Livelihoods

The campaign’s focus on empowering women farmers was a key aspect of its success. Women play a vital role in agriculture of Pakistan. Their participation in these training sessions was instrumental in driving adoption of zinc wheat and realizing the health benefits of consuming biofortified whole wheat flour.

By providing women farmers with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to succeed, the campaign helped enhance their livelihoods and contribute to the country’s economic growth.

A Model for Future Agricultural Innovation

Pakistan’s zinc wheat awareness campaign serves as a compelling example of how strategic communication, farmer education, and private sector engagement can drive large-scale adoption of biofortified crops.

As the country continues to face challenges related to malnutrition and food insecurity, initiatives like this campaign will play a crucial role in promoting sustainable agriculture, enhancing nutrition security through biofortified crops, empowering women and improving livelihoods for millions.