According to Hari Dahal, joint secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC), the country faces a nearly 316,000 metric ton food deficit this year, compared to a deficit of 132,000 metric tons last year. [break]
"Nearly 1.6 million people have been suffering from food deficit this year due to acute supply shortage while nearly 500,000 people suffered the same problem last year," Dahal, who is also spokesperson at MoAC, told myrepublica.com.
According to him, agricultural production including rice output decreased hugely last year due to a late monsoon and drought, thereby causing an acute food deficit in the country. "Rice production decreased nearly 500,000 tons last year," Dahal added, "That has largely contributed to the food deficit problem this year."
People from remote districts including Humla, Bajura, Darchula, Dolpa, Mugu, Kalikot, Achham, Jajarkot and Dailekh have been directly affected by the food shortage.
"The problem is ever worsening," Dahal said, "Supplying food in those districts is not a permanent solution. We need to focus our programs on promoting local produce to address the long-standing deficit."
- Country faces 316,000 metric tons food shortage
- Late monsoon, drought affected local productivity
- About 500,000 ton decrease in rice output last year
- We need to boost local productivity to overcome problem: Officials
- Chinese govt to assist 10 deficit districts
A government team led by Joint Secretary Chandra Ghimire at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) had also conducted a field study on food deficit recently. The team has categorized districts facing food deficit mainly in two ways.
The team´s report categorized Humla, Mugu and Bajura as severely affected districts while Kalikot, Achham, Jajarkot and Dailekh have been categorized as moderately acute districts in terms of food deficit.
Talking to myrepublica.com, Ghimire also suggested boosting local productivities to generate employment opportunities at local level and connecting such districts by road and other facilities for a permanent solution to the food problem.
Ghimire said about 30 districts face a food deficit problem every year. Of these, about 15 districts face severe food crunch.
"The problem of food is mainly due to lack of local productivity," he said, adding, "The government should identify fertile land within districts facing food deficit and invest in a package program including irrigation, supply of fertilizers, technology input, sending in of technicians and other supportive projects in a bid to get rid of the problem in the long run."
The report prepared by the Ghimire-led team also concluded that the food deficit problem in the country is worsening.
China to assist
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has decided to assist 10 districts in Nepal with supplies of food. According to Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) Dinesh Thapaliya, an agreement in this connection was inked by a Chinese delegation recently.
"As per the agreement, the Chinese government will shortly provide Rs 3 million for each district facing food deficit", said Thapaliya, adding, "We will distribute food worth of Rs 3 million by engaging local people in development projects at the local level."
MoLD would facilitate distribution of the food. Under the project, China would provide food in Darchula, Humla, Dolpa, Mugu, Mustang, Gorkha, Rasuwa, Solukhumbhu, Sankhuwasabha and Taplejung districts.
Local people would be engaged in local level development and infrastructure work like irrigation, road construction and drinking water in return for food as wages.
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