Apart from rising food prices, ineffective governance, natural catastrophes such as floods in 2010 and 2011, and inconsistency of the market has worsened the issue of food security in Pakistan. As a result, the vulnerability and insecurity of rural households in the face of recurring economic crises, natural disasters, and unpredictable incomes has increased. To ensure food security, it is essential to provide the safety nets in the form of skills, tools, and assets that will enable the people to survive periods of hardship.

OSDI, in its mission for poverty alleviation, places a strong emphasis on proper nutrition because healthier individuals are the key to sustainably improving incomes by enabling work proficiency and curtailing recurring medical expenses. In this regards, food security projects are designed to provide adequate nutrition to vulnerable households who are experiencing food scarcity; particularly elderly couples, widows, and female-headed households lacking a steady stream of income or employment opportunities. Consequently, many women and children endure further hardships suffering from poverty, hunger and malnutrition.