GAFSP is intended to help scale up food security in poor and crisis-hit countries. [break]
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC) has recently approved a proposal for ´Food Security Enhancement Project of Nepal (FSEPN)´ to be submitted to the Obama fund.
“Our ministry has approved the proposal and we are in the final preparation phase to submit the proposal to the global program through USAID for necessary assistance,” Dr Hari Dahal, MoAC spokesperson, told myrepublica.com.
Of the total US$ 76.5 million envisaged by MoAC, US$65 million will be requested from GAFSP and the remaining US$11.5 will be borne by Nepal government, he said.
Already in the pipeline are five programs -- technology development, technology dissemination, livelihood enhancement, food safety, nutritional and technical capacity building -- for the targeted districts. The program is of five-year duration.
The beneficiary districts are five in Karnali -- Dolpa, Jumla, Humla, Kalikot and Mugu -- and two din Far-Western region -- Bajhang and Bajura.
“Though we have 15 districts in the country which are of critical priority due to low productivity of food grains, lack of transport facility for the shipment of foodstuffs and low affordability of local people, we have selected the seven districts given the gravity of the situation,” said Dahal.
Dolpa, Humla, Jumla, Kalikot, Mugu, Bajura, Bajhang, Darchula, Achham, Doti, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Rolpa, Jajarkot and Dailekh are reeling under perennial problems of food insecurity.
If everything goes as planned, the officials are optimistic about enhancing the productivity of agricultural sector. “The use of modern technology and quality inputs in the local farms is sure to change the present scenario in the selected districts,” Dahal added.
The move is expected to bridge the large gap in food production between high-hill districts and Tarai.
Data made available by MoAC showed that paddy yield in Jhapa is twice as high -- 3.3 tons per hectare -- when compared with Bajura, Bajhang and Darchula. Similarly, yield of wheat in Chitwan is 2.3 tons per hector, which is three-times higher than that recorded in the three districts.
“We can increase the productivity of cereal crops, including paddy, wheat and maize by at least three-times, if not at par with the productivity in Tarai districts, if we properly arrange fertilizers, improved seeds and irrigation in high hill districts,” Dahal said.
In response to the fact that over one billion people are living in hunger, US President Obama in the London G20 Summit held in 2009, had announced a global food security initiative to help poor countries in the promotion of agriculture.
Of the total US$ 22 billion, the US has committed US$ 3.5 billion under the Obama´s initiative -- Feed the Future.
The initiatives have so far received commitments from the US, Canada, South Korea, Spain, and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Related story
Eating junk food is bad for health!
