Benazir Nashonuma Programme to distribute 3.7m nutritional packs to combat stunting

ISLAMABAD, Dec 15 (APP): The Benazir Nashonuma Programme is set to distribute more than 3.7 million specialised nutritious food (SNF) packs in 2025 as part of Pakistan’s efforts to curb stunting and malnutrition among pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and young children.
Launched in 2020 and expanded nationwide in 2023, the programme has emerged as a key intervention targeting nutrition deficits during the critical first 1,000 days of life.
According to a document available with Wealth Pakistan, the planned distribution aims to strengthen maternal and child nutrition outcomes, particularly among low-income households facing limited access to healthy diets.
Currently operating through 540 facilitation centres across 157 districts, the programme provides nutrient-dense food supplements to an estimated 3.7 million women and children nationwide.
Under the initiative, enrolled mothers receive 75 grams of SNF per day, while children are provided with 50 grams daily. The supplements are fortified with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids required for healthy maternal and child development.
In addition to nutritional support, the programme offers conditional cash transfers to enrolled beneficiaries. Women who comply with prescribed health services and return at least 90 percent of empty SNF sachets are eligible to receive Rs 4,000 per quarter for a girl child and Rs 3,500 for a boy child, easing household financial constraints linked to nutrition and healthcare.
Implemented under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), the Nashonuma initiative seeks to address Pakistan’s high stunting rates. The document highlights that more than two-thirds of households in the country are unable to afford a nutritious diet, underscoring the programme’s role in delivering both food assistance and income support to the most vulnerable families.
The programme is also scheduled to introduce targeted nutritional adjustments by the fourth quarter of 2025. Women identified as overweight or obese under body mass index criteria will receive multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) in place of standard SNF, reflecting a more tailored approach to maternal nutrition.
The initiative forms part of Pakistan’s broader response to widespread malnutrition, driven largely by the high cost of healthy and diverse diets. With household food expenditure covering only around 60 percent of the cost of a nutritious diet, the programme remains a critical support mechanism for vulnerable populations.