Govt adopts policy to ensure sustainable food security: Minister Chaudhary
Kathmandu, Oct 16: Minister for Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Geeta Chaudhary, said the government has adopted a policy to end famine and assure sustainable food security through various laws and plans so as to enable the constitutionally-guaranteed right to food.
She noted that the government has adopted this policy through agricultural development strategies, Food Rights and Food Sovereignty Act, 16th Plan, and plans related to the strategy for transforming the food system.
Minister Chaudhary, on the occasion of the 46th World Food Day today, extended greetings and highlighted that the government is committed to modernizing, commercializing, and diversifying agriculture to increase agricultural production and productivity through innovative thinking, research, and the development and expansion of technology.
She expressed the government commitment to ensuring food security for citizens and a sufficient and nutritious future for future generations.
Globally, this day is celebrated every year on October 16. This year, the day is being observed with the national slogan 'Innovation in Agriculture for Nutritional Security.'
Even though Nepal ranks in a medium position (72nd) on the Global Hunger Index with a score of 14.8, the fact that about 26 percent of children under five are stunted points to challenges in promoting nutrition.
“The crises caused by climate change, unimaginable natural disasters like flash floods, the degradation of agricultural land, and changing trends in imports have created challenges to our food security and food sovereignty.”
Since food security is an important national security issue, she highlighted the government has prioritized climate-adaptive technology, the preservation of local and traditional crops, digital agriculture, and modern innovations in its policies to tackle the existing challenges.
She shed light on the important role of the federal, provincial, and local governments, the private sector, cooperatives, development partners, and farmers in ensuring a sustainable food system and guaranteeing food security.
The minister urged everyone involved to celebrate this day grandly with shared unity and to contribute significantly to sustainable food and nutrition security.

