How improve food security in Nepal?

 HOW IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY IN NEPAL?

Food should be affordable, nutritious and available to the general population to consider it as the food security. The food must be readily available such that one can lead active and healthy life. Similarly, they should not have worries in terms of food and they should not be hungry. Current food security terms include: availability, access, utilization and stability. The World Food Summit in 1996 declared that "food should not be used as an instrument for political and economic pressure.

Definitions:

Food security, as defined by the World Food Summit in 1996, is "when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life".

Food insecurity, on the other hand, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is a situation of "limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.

Legal Provisions

As the fundamental rights (Part 3) from the Article 16-47, Article 36 clearly considers right to food as the fundamental right of every Nepali citizen, and has the right to be protected from the state of the observation. Also, every citizen has the right to food sovereignty.

The Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act, 2075 (2018) defines "Food security" means physical and financial access of every person to the food required for the active and healthy human life. Further, in chapter 3 (1), it has made the suitable provisions for The Government of Nepal, Provincial Government and Local Level to make necessary arrangements for the fulfillment of the food rights mutually.

Food Hygiene and Quality Act, 2081 outlines the responsibilities of the Nepal government and local authorities in maintaining food hygiene and quality standards, (chapter 2).

Current Conditons:

As per Economic Survey 2022/23, "Nepals Achievement on Zero hunger (Goal 2) is low. Under this goal, there are four indicators undernutrition, child wastage, child stunting, and child mortality. The percentage of child stunting has dropped to 25 percent by 2022 while it was 36 percent in 2016. The popularity percentage has dropped from 10 percent to 8 percent."

Improvement:

The challenges have been over dependence in neighboring countries, mainly India for the food grains and the vegetables. The second reason is due to the marginal land with only estimated 28.75% of land cultivable of the country. Furthermore, the agricultural practices have not been able to significantly improved. 

Firstly, the improvement of the traditional agriculture should be the key priority. Improvement of the agricultural practices as more scientific and self sufficient should be the initiations. Ways to make the local levels or even families self reliant in food, even in some extents, should be the priority. .

Secondly, the food distributive systems and channels should be improved. Food cycle, from cultivation to kitchen, should be designed such that the food be consumed within the local levels, or province levels. This lowers the burdens of the external imports in the country naturally.

Conclusively, the methods to decrease the human efforts while maximizing the returns should be the prime objective of agricultural production. These grown produce should be diversified and should reach all around the country, or at least within the district.

********************************

AI improves it:

Enhancing Food Security in Nepal: A Strategic Approach

Understanding Food Security

Food security ensures that food is affordable, nutritious, and readily available to the general population, enabling an active and healthy life. It encompasses four key dimensions: availability, access, utilization, and stability. According to the World Food Summit (1996), food should not be used as an instrument for political or economic pressure.

Definitions

• Food Security: The World Food Summit (1996) defines food security as “when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”
• Food Insecurity: The USDA defines it as a state of “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.”

Legal Provisions

Nepal’s legal framework recognizes food security as a fundamental right:

• Constitutional Rights: Article 36 (Part 3) of Nepal’s Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to food and protection from hunger.
• Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act, 2075 (2018): This act mandates that every person has physical and financial access to food, with clear responsibilities assigned to federal, provincial, and local governments for ensuring food rights.
• Food Hygiene and Quality Act, 2081: Specifies the roles of the government in maintaining food hygiene and quality standards.

Current Conditions

Nepal faces significant challenges in achieving food security. According to the Economic Survey 2022/23:

• Zero Hunger Goal (SDG 2): Progress remains slow. Child stunting has decreased from 36% (2016) to 25% (2022), and child wasting has dropped from 10% to 8%. However, undernutrition and child mortality rates remain concerns.

Key Challenges

1. Dependency on Imports: Nepal relies heavily on neighboring countries, particularly India, for essential food grains and vegetables.
2. Limited Arable Land: Only 28.75% of Nepal’s land is cultivable, restricting agricultural productivity.
3. Outdated Agricultural Practices: Traditional farming methods have not kept pace with modern advancements, affecting yields and sustainability.

Strategies for Improvement

1. Modernize Agricultural Practices:

   • Prioritize scientific and sustainable agricultural methods.
   • Encourage self-sufficient farming at local and family levels to reduce dependency on imports.
   • Provide training and resources to farmers for adopting modern techniques.

2. Strengthen Food Distribution Systems:

   • Develop efficient food distribution networks to ensure local consumption.
   • Promote farm-to-market systems within local and provincial levels to reduce external import burdens.

3. Enhance Agricultural Infrastructure:

   • Invest in irrigation, storage, and transportation infrastructure.
   • Support mechanization to maximize productivity while reducing manual labor.

4. Diversify Agricultural Production:

   • Encourage crop diversification to mitigate risks and improve nutritional outcomes.
   • Ensure equitable distribution of produce within districts and regions to reduce disparities.

Conclusion

Enhancing food security in Nepal requires a multifaceted approach, focusing on modernizing agriculture, strengthening distribution networks, and promoting self-sufficiency at the local level. By addressing structural challenges and optimizing resources, Nepal can move towards a more resilient and sustainable food system.