Islamabad: In a major step toward rethinking the food systems in Pakistan, for the first time, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), along with the academic institutions and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), has formally endorsed the introduction of Food Systems Transformation–related courses as regular courses within the undergraduate degree programs of Food Science & Technology and Human Nutrition & Dietetics.

This transformative step— represents a huge policy-academic alignment and has been undertaken through a rigorous consultative process under the National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC). For the first time, undergraduate curricula will mainstream topics such as community nutrition, sustainable consumption, climate resilience, gender and youth inclusion, and responsible business conduct.

The two-day review meeting, hosted at Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), brought together 38 national experts from over 25 universities and institutions, under the stewardship of HEC’s Curriculum Division. The revised curricula aim to equip future graduates with interdisciplinary skills and systems thinking to tackle the multifaceted challenges of food insecurity, malnutrition, climate vulnerability, and ethical food production.

In his remarks, Dr. Amjad Hussain, Director General (Academics & Curriculum), HEC, stated“This reform is a strategic leap toward developing an education system that mirrors Pakistan's food and nutrition priorities. These courses are not add-ons; they are essential for preparing future professionals to lead across public health, agriculture, policy, and food system innovation.”

This reform was also appreciated by Mr. Faiz Rasool, Head of Policy & Advocacy, GAIN Pakistan, who attributed the success of the curriculum reform to HEC and the leadership of academia with the following words: “We commend HEC for embedding food systems thinking into academic reform. This is a forward-looking and inclusive step that will help build a new generation of professionals ready to lead Pakistan toward a healthier and more resilient food future.”

While reminiscing over the achievements of the previous two days, during the closing session, there was a sense of hope and optimism permeated with ideas by Prof. Dr. Rauf-i-Azam, Vice Chancellor, GCUF, recognizing the shared responsibility of academia in national development:

"GCUF is proud to have hosted this milestone initiative. The integration of food systems transformation into degree programs will not only elevate the quality of higher education but also ensure our graduates are responsive to national challenges and global priorities. I urge all institutions to implement these reforms with purpose and urgency."

The new curricula further strengthen Pakistan's declaration to global targets namely Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and will contribute toward national strategies on nutrition, food security, climate adaptation, and youth empowerment. It also goes on to provide a framework for deeper collaboration between government, academia, Industry and development partners to cocreate a more inclusive and resilient food future for all Pakistanis.