A National Programme for Food Security (NPFS) is a country-driven solution to eradicating hunger within the local population.

FAO achieves this by:

1. supporting national governments in identifying ways to remove barriers to food access;
2. mobilizing donor resources for project funding; and
3. assisting with the kick-off and implementation phases.

While no two National Programmes are alike, they are all characterized by:

• strong national commitment; and
• supportive policies and regulations.
• full engagement of civil society;

Sustainable food security requires;

• stable supply of adequate food;
• properly functioning markets; and
• that all households are able to generate a combination of home-produced food and cash income sufficient to cover all their basic needs.

It is essential that National Programmes reach the undernourished with activities that enhance their productivity and incomes on a nationwide scale. The large-scale multiplication of locally implemented activities is the only workable option for reaching the entire target population. The National Programme’s vision is of village-by-village development on a national scale.

The UN Millennium Development Goals cannot be realized unless economic growth brings a better quality of life to villages and secures sustainable access to adequate food for both rural and urban poor.