FAOR with the Member from National Planning Commission, Chair from National Farmers Commission and Secretaries from MoALD during the event of World Food Day

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in collaboration with the Government of Nepal (GoN), observed the 42^nd World Food Day in Kathmandu. The half-day celebration was commemorated with a walkathon, video competition, panel discussion, article writing, press meet and formal program. In line with this year’s theme “Leave no one behind”, FAO and GoN disseminated information on pathways to transforming Nepal’s agri-food systems into a resilient and equitable food system for all.

FAO and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MOALD) conducted a series of events for marking October as a special month in raising awareness on the issues of food safety and security. In particular, through a written note, Rt. Hon’ble Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba expressed the country's strong commitment for collective actions to ensure food security and safety.  He stated, "The Constitution of Nepal enshrines the Right to Food, ensuring that every citizen has the right to be protected from starvation and the right to food sovereignty. It strongly paves the way for collective actions to eradicate hunger, raise awareness, and ensure healthy diets and nutrition for everyone".

During the formal program, the Honorable Dr. Dil Bahadur Gurung, Member of National Planning Commission, stated that in order to address the global challenges of food security, hunger, poverty, and inequality, GoN needs to redouble its efforts and resources for initiatives in support of better production and better life.

FAO Director-General, Dr. QU Dongyu, in a recorded video statement advised, “We need decent rural employment and services, and to end child labour, while fostering gender equality and supporting rural and Indigenous Peoples who are the custodians of much of the earth’s biodiversity. Governments need to provide timely and well-targeted social protection programmes that protect the most fragile.”

Ken Shimizu, FAO Representative for Nepal and Bhutan expressed his concerns for the impacts of the 5F crisis on agri-food systems in Nepal, which has resulted in increased food, fertilizer and fuel costs. He also mentioned that these impacts are being compounded by the impacts of the triple planetary crisis especially that of climate change. He highlighted the cooperative measures that FAO is taking with the Government of Nepal to ensure the accessibility of safe and nutritious food for all people, enabling a well-nourished and healthy environment for food production, progressive realization of the right to food, and shifting to sustainable consumption patterns. He clarified that despite the impacts of the global 5F and climate change crisis, FAO is promoting and creating demand for healthy and sustainable diets, reducing food loss and waste in Nepal in order to achieve the SDG targets through the FAO strategic framework of ‘Four Betters’.

Dr. Govinda Sharma, Secretary (MoALD) stated that the budget for fiscal 2020-21 had focused on several incentive programs to encourage and support farmers,  including the farmer's card, crop and livestock insurance, automation, mechanization and digital infrastructure subsidies. He congratulated the 30 award winning model farmers and wished them for better incomes and lives in the future.  Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharal, Secretary, MoALD (Livestock) specified that both agriculture and livestock had contributed to the sound living of people. The Ministry had promoted sustainable agricultural development by transforming the current food system of subsistence oriented farming systems into commercial and competitive farming.

FAO Nepal together with GoN is actively engaged in promoting and supporting innovative and cost-effective measures aimed at providing social protection to reduce vulnerabilities, particularly of women, indigenous peoples and socially marginalized small holders' farmers with the message of “Leaving No One Behind”.