Poverty in Pakistan is predominantly a rural problem, with rural people accounting for 90% of the country's poor despite being only two-thirds of the population. While Pakistan's overall poverty rate declined slightly from 2001-2005, health, education and women's socioeconomic indicators remained low compared to other South Asian nations. Recent natural disasters and economic issues have likely exacerbated poverty, with an estimated 17 million more people now food insecure. Agriculture employs around 22% of Pakistanis and small farmers, landless workers, and women face the most acute rural poverty due to inequitable land distribution and lack of access to resources. Key drivers of rural poverty include food prices, limited education, healthcare access, family size, gender discrimination,