Food Security and Nutrition Situation of Nepal

solid nutrient Security and bread and butter Situation of NepalAn Assignment on viands security department department ANALYSISSubmitted byBibek ThapaBidhya GautamBinod RanaChandan ShilpakarChiran AdhikariChura Mani BhusalDipak ShahiDeny Kumar ShresthaDev Raj Gupta intromissionNepal is a nutriment famine, record locked and least developed soil, having a hoi polloi of more than 27 gazillion the great unwashed. Around 31 per centum pack in the country live below poverty level. Around 49.3 percent of under-five children argon chronicall(a)y malnourished. Globally, Nepal ranks 144th out of 182 countries in terms of its Human ontogenesis Index (UNDP, 2009). Annual race growth rate of the country is 2.2 percent. It is estimated that the countrys population in 2025 will reach 40.5 million, with anticipated difficulties of fulfilling the viands requirements. Nepalese parsimony dominated by agriculture, 65.6 % of total population is directly or indirectly depend on agricultur e. Since last couple of years, population dependent on agriculture gestate been decreased (Sanjel, 2005). Apart from the small holding, new(prenominal) sources of income argon livestock, wages, migration, etc. Of total income, 48 % from farm, 28 % from off-farm, 11 % from foreign subsidence and 13 % from other source (WFP MoAC, 2009). dishearten 1 Nepal HDI Trend yearHDI19800.30919900.40720000.520050.53720060.54720070.553Source HDR, 2009The geography, political situation and cultural practices in the country atomic number 18 diverse. Peoples plan of attack to health facilities, give lessonsing, employment opportunities and hygienics and c ar practices is limited. After 10 years of armed conflict (1996 -2006), the country is under a transitional period of establishing constitutional democracy after signing of a ataraxis accord in November 2006 and the Constituent Assembly election held in April 2008. The ten long insurgency caused a loss of 13,347 lives in the country (UNDP , 2009 a). opinion OF FOOD SECURITY feed hostage exists when all people, at all times, have inlet to sufficient, unafraid and nutritious viands to meet their dietetic needs and solid food preferences for an active and healthy life. The concept of food security has four pillars (availability, access, utilization and stability). The issue of food security is multidimensional, that varies across countries, cordial groups and time.Widespread poverty is the major cause for food peril. victuals peril and hunger remain pervasive in Nepal, not only in food deficit districts but also within marginalized communities in districts with extra food production. Food and financial crisis is gradually increasing, chronic food insecurity since 1990 in Western hills (Adhikari and Bhole, 1999), and total number of food insecure people be 6.9 million (OCHA, 2008). Feudalism and labor arrangement system are also the reason for food insecurity. Consequences of food insecurity are that myopic have already exhausted their saving to buy food, sold the blank space and maturationd school dropout. on that point is a correlation between areas of steep poverty and high mal victuals and areas of most impacted by conflict.Nationally, 47 % of the polish owning HHs owned only 15 % of the convey with an average size of slight than 0.5 ha, whereas the top 5 % owned nearly 37 % of dirt. A new-fashioned rough estimate by WFP stated that the minimum amount of land required for HHs self-sufficiency is approximately 0.54 ha (OCHA, 2008).DIMENSION OF FOOD SECURITYFood AvailabilityAvailability of food is affected by wanting(p) awkward productivity, inadequate rural infrastructure, and seasonal food shortages. In heap up and percentage terms, the deficit is usually 3-5% of total utilization in cereal equivalent. Situation of food availability and access are very unevenly distributed over the country, and areas with the lowest production and greatest deficit per capita also unravel to be the ones with low incomes, highest rates of overty and malnutrition, and they are often the most far and inaccessible. Since 1990, at national level, overall food production is deficit and Nepal has been a net cereal importer for most years during the last two decades (FAO, 2008).Table 2 Food Deficit for 2009CropDeficit (Mt)Paddy150,000 tipsiness straw and barley130,000Maize120,000Total400,000Source WFP Food security air -24, August 2009The Hill and Mountain regions are particularly food deficit and more vulnerable to drought. The low production is largely due to the prepotency of rain fed agriculture, traditional farming practices, limited agri-input, inadequate practiced advice for farmers due to poor extension service, poverty and limited availability of credit, and normal droughts and floods. In addition, the conflict has reduced farmers access to production inputs and commercializes and reduced the motif of farmers, allegers and traders to expand their act ivities. The overleap of growth in crop production greatly limits the potential for crop diversification which leads to nutritionaryly unbalanced and poorly alter HH food consumption patterns. Only around 40 % of rural households produce enough food to meet their year round needs. A 3.4 million land holdings produce barely enough food to meet sextette months of household food needs. Average farm size is less than 0.8 ha and the parcels are scattered rendering difficulty for commercialization and management care. reduction in % of agrarian household from 83 % (1995) to 78 % (2003/04) and significantly in average size of land holding (CBS 2004).Livestock contributes about 30 % to agricultural GDP and projected to rise to 45 % by 2015. consort to NLSS (2004), livestock accounts for about 20 % of total agricultural income, after crops (50 %). It is also a major household asset used to mitigate short shocks (FAO, 2008).Food AccessPhysical and financial causes affect food access an d it is restricted due to scarce nonagriculturalIncome possibilities, limited access to productive resources, lack of functioning services and substandard managerial and organizational capacity. This is a appraise of a households entitlement to food. A 2008 WFPs study shows that 75 % of surveyed HHs did not have sufficient access to food, and more than 95 % of very poor HHs had scrimpy access to food.Food UtilizationProper food utilization requires comely food handling, adequate education on health and nutrition, child care, hygiene and sanitation, health care, etc. A total of 55% to 85% of drinking weewee sources are micro-biologically contaminated (OCHA, 2008).Stability/photo to FoodHHs and individuals essential have access to food at all times, either new or processed. However, sometimes they can be affected by orthogonal shocks (droughts, floods, conflict, poor political and economic governance and climatic crisis or seasonal food insecurity) and internal shocks (loss of income, illness).ROLE OF WOMEN IN FOOD SECURITY concord to FAO, in developing country, 60 -80 % of total food production is contributed by women, and they have been leadd in subsistence farming (Kantipur, 2009). Capacity building of women in contrastive sectors contributes to improve the livelihoods of the family, community and whole country. Almost 100 % women memorize responsibility for nurturing and care of children, and ideas, believe and practice change of women contributes a locoweed to improve nutritional status of children and women themselves.REASON FOR FOOD INSECURITY main reasons for food insecurity are categorized according to four pillars and distributor point is given inAnnex 3Availability Low agricultural production and productivity and high population growth Small land holding Feudalism and labor management Misuse of food commodities dependency syndrome on food aid.Access Unequal food distribution neediness of highroad network and market in remote area need o f emergency backup services worthless purchasing capacity of people Social and geographical disparities and exclusion.Utilization Lack of awareness on nutrition and food habit amply levels of malnutrition Poor basic services High disease incidence.Stability/Vulnerability to Food Low income Frequent mishap Social conflict Poor political and economic governance and other No functioning of traditional/indigenous community food condom net.GOVERNMENT PROVISION FOR FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITIONAccording to global law, every human being has skilfuls to be freed from hunger and rights to have safe and nutritious food. Universal declaration on human rights, Conventions on boor Rights and other international legal documents have ensured the rights of food. Nepal does not have a comprehensive food security policy addressing the different dimensions of food security however, food security and nutrition have been included in different policy document.Nepal Interim Constitution (2007)The int erim constitution has recognized food sovereignty as the fundamental human right and guaranteed some fundamental rights which are relevant to ensure the legal entitlement on the food security. It guarantees the right to life (art. 12.1) and rights to employment and social security ( expression 16). For the first time in Nepal, constitution also guarantees the right to food sovereignty (art. 18.3). Provision of rights of food security for all citizens has been ensured by means of the article 16 and 33. Similarly, through with(predicate) article 35, provision to improve the food security situation of marginalized community has been ensured. However, these rights are subject to implementing legislation, unfortunately, such specific laws are not yet made. Recently, in a case, interpreting this right, Supreme Court of Nepal issued an interim order to the GON to presently supply food stuff in food insecure districts (Adhikari, 2009). too these following plan and policies have also ens ured food security for Nepalese citizensThree Year Interim fancy (TYIP 2007 -2010) untaught Development Policies farming Perspective Plan (1995-2015) Implementation of APP Support Programme (2003-2008) National land Policy (2004) Health Sector Policy (2004) National Water Plan (2005) Forestry Master Plan National Transport Master Plan agriculture Promotion Policy (2006) Food and Nutrition Security Plan (2007) milk Development Policy (2007) Agriculture Biodiversity Policy (2007)AGENCIES WORKING IN FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITIONGovernment AgenciesMinistry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC)Focused on food production, most of the programs are extension (with very limited research) targeted to production increase, market access and technical support for the farmer. According to NSDRM 2009, this is focal ministry for food security (MoHA, 2009).Ministry of Local Development (MoLD)Implements Nepal Food Crisis response program, funded by World wedge (WB), and Food for Work (FFW) progr ams, material support of WFP and technical support of GTZ, in food deficit districts with the objective of creating rural employment opportunities to the poor through the Rural Community Infrastructure Works (RCIW) Programme consisting of rural road construction and community based projects such as irrigation and soil conservation, school building and other support, health facilities improvement, income generation, etc.Ministry of nurture (MoE)MoE implements Food for Education (FFE) program with material food support from WFP. It follows an objective of improving nutritional status of school children, school enrolment and attendance of children, particularly girlfriends, by providing a mid-day meal and a reconcile-home ration of oil for girl students. The program is implemented in food deficit districts.Ministry of Health and population (MoHP)Department of Health implements Mother and Child Health Care (MCHC) broadcast with material support from WFP in collaboration with MoE. Th e program aims to improve the health and nutritional status of pregnant and lactating mothers and children (6-36 months) by providing monthly take home ration (fortified nutritious food).Nepal Food Corporation (NFC)NFC is circulating(prenominal)ly planning subsidized food to 30 districts including 22 remote districts across the country (MoAC, WFP and FAO, 2009), where local production is deficit. It follows the Governments food policy with responsibility of collection, transportation, storage, sale and mobilization of food. It also handles food aid received by the country. NFC concenteres on providing food to people living around district headquarters, and mostly to government employees. take out AgenciesWorld Food Programme (WFP)WFP works in partnership with MoLD, MoE, MoHP, UN agencies and NGOs through life cycle approach of distributing food from pregnancy stage to large(p) of women candidates. As of November 2009, WFP coverage is in 22 districts (personal interaction with WFP staff). All interventions are carried out in the food insecure areas identified by Vulnerability sound judgement and Mapping (VAM) unit of WFP in close collaboration with the Government.There are other agencies and some of them are as followsActionAid NepalAgro Enterprise spirit (AEC)DEPROSC,DFID,GTZ,Helen Keller International (HKI),OXFAM GB,SAPROSC,UNICEF,WHOSUMMARYFood security in Nepal depends on land productivity as managed by small holders who face challenges in productivity and sustainability, and the country is prone to inseparable disasters that can have serious consequences for agricultural production.Additionally, the households that are most likely to be food insecure tended to engage in livelihood activities such as petty trade, unskilled labor, natural resources exploitation, handicrafts, and farming. Nepal has become a net importer of grain in recent years.The samara factors causing food insecurity, especially in remote mountain districts, are an increasing popu lation, remoteness (causing lack of transportation and distribution), low income-generating opportunities, and lack of access to food. The issue of food security is multidimensional, that varies across countries, social groups and time. These factors can be grouped in three clusters1) Overall socio-economic, political and natural surroundings2) Performance of the food economy, and3) Household level food security influenced by livelihood assets and activities, care practices, and health and sanitation conditions.CONCLUSIONIn current situation, for food security major thrust has to given to production of food grains, horticulture, fisheries and livestock product through sustainable use of resources. Investing in agriculture has several benefits and as a major sector lend to economic growth, 38 agriculture has to transform from traditionally subsistent to a vivacious commercial and competitive one. Potentiality for agriculture development should be attach with increasing concerns fo r irrigation, fertilizer, storage, marketing, improved seeds and breeds, quality control, improved service delivery, research focus on niche areas, credit facility and capable human resources. improve farming system, planting of fruit and fodder and use of SALT (Sloping Agricultural Land Technology) can improve land use and control water induced disaster. Similarly, environment friendly agriculture farm, storage and gene pious platitude are essential but insecticides and pesticides are being haphazardly at commercial scale but effective monitoring is lacking. Required song of cold storage are lacking, and farmer is compelled to sell goods at cheaper price.Strategies, approaches and programme to increase domestic food availability have to emphasize on(i) The need for technological change to increase labor, land, input and productivity,(ii) Improving connectivity to increase market access resulting to reduce the transaction costs of getting inputs and services from market to farm and farm to market, and(iii) Price guarantees to serve as an fillip to farmers to produce for the market. Increasing production, promoting processing, developing and strengthening business enterprises services, improving marketing efficiency, and reducing food prices, are major avenues to improve food security. advertAdhikari, B. 2009. Food Security Related Safety Nets and Legal Empowerment of Poor in Nepal. composition submitted to FAO 2009 November. KathmanduCBS, 2004. Nepal Living Standards Survey 2003/04, Statistical report. glitz 1 and 2. Kathmandu. 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