“Crop yield in Doti, Dadeldhura, Bajhang, Achham, Bajura, Baitadi and Darchula districts this year is very poor and will be sufficient for the people just for three months,” said Bir Bahadur Chand, chief of the Directorate in Dipayal.
Unless immediate steps are taken, there will be severe starvation in the region, he told myrepublica.com, adding that the office has already apprised the Ministry in Kathmandu of the looming crisis.
Moreover, officials said they have recently received reports of food scarcity in 23 VDCs in Bajura. Similar reports have been received from Bajhang district as well.
A RAD report has blamed the lack of rain in the winter for the looming crisis. The report says crop productions have dropped between 60 and 90 per cent in the districts. Production of especially wheat, vegetables, potato, and oil seeds have remained very poor.
Usually people in the region would face food shortage for four months in a year due to low productivity, according to RAD.
Food production in Darchula and Baitadi is relatively better than other districts, but other districts would face shortage in the lack of distribution system.
Farmers blame lack of irrigation system for poor productivity and food.
Jit Bahadur Chand, an engineer at RAD, meanwhile, attributed the looming crisis to climate change. He said water level in many rivers in the hills have dropped in recent years and many water sources have dried up. “These are not good signs,” he said.
RAD officials opined that the government must adopt short as well as long-term plans to deal with food crisis that hits the districts every year.
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