Is there a national food security policy with implementation/action?
NO.
There are a combination of various overlapping plans and policies that ensure that the population is covered.
Three Year Interim Plan FY2014-FY2016
Thirteenth national plan has provision to improve life standard of people through sustainable agriculture development. It talks about commercialization and competent agriculture system development. Insuring food sovereignty of people and strength all aspect of food or nutrition security is long-term goal of the planning. To achieving this goal, it has provision to provide seed money or soft lone to farmers with required skill or capacity building training. It also says about providing of seed money, training and technology management for special community for Modernized and commercialized traditional profession and skill. Safe, environment friendly and earthquake resistant house construction and distribution to the weaker section of the society is also one policy of the planning. The plan has program to build houses for Dalits, poor and marginalized groups under people housing program (Janata Aabash Program). Under the land measurement program, it says land survey will conducted on omitted land and distributed ownership certificate to occupancy. Free school education up to 12 class to all Dalit children and food for education program on 29 districts are other highlights of 13th national planning.
Agricultural Development Policies
Government has developed different policy to achieve food security and some of them are:
• Agriculture Perspective Plan (1995-2015)
• Implementation of APP Support Programme ( 2003-2008)
• National Agriculture Policy (2004)
• National Water Plan (2005)
• Forestry Master Plan
• National Transport Master Plan
• Agribusiness Promotion Policy (2006)
• Milk Development Policy (2007)
• Agriculture Biodiversity Policy (2007)
Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP – 1995 – 2015) APP is a visionary document for overall economic growth and poverty reduction. Government incorporated APP in all subsequent strategy, planning and policy documents and adopted several important reforms in the agricultural sector. The strategy is to achieve broad based economic development and poverty reduction through accelerated growth of agriculture and non-agriculture sector through multiplier effects. APP identified four priority inputs and four outputs. Multi agency coordination and prioritized productivity package strategy is the key for successful implementation. Furthermore, Agriculture Perspective Plan Support Programme (APPSP) was implemented (2002 – 2009), with funding support from DFID, it shows government is committed for agricultural growth and donors are supporting to government.
Food and Nutrition Security Plan (2013)
Plan was issued with five main objectives:
1. Increase the country's self-reliance for basic foodstuffs,
2. Improve the overall nutritional situation,
3. Enhance standards and safety of foodstuffs which are available in markets,
4. Enhance capacity for managing food insecurity that arise from emergency conditions, and
5. Improve food access for food people and groups prone to food insecurity.
Disaster Risk Management Policy
Government has formulated and adopted Natural Calamity (Relief) Act 1982 (MoHA, 1982) focusing to relief. But this Act could not address the emerging challenges and issues of 21 disaster and development. According to the 1982 Act, there is provision of distribution of emergency relief materials like food, cooking utensil, shelter, medicine and other necessary material. Free treatment to the injured person and Rs 1000 as transportation support. Cash assistance of Rs 25,000 per families in case of deceased, Rs 10,000 for completely displaced and Rs 5000 per family as immediate relief to those who have lost house or land or food. Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) is National focal point for Disaster relief and District Administration Office is executing agency. Nepal Red Cross Society is active during the disaster rescue and relief activities.
The public food distribution: The public food distribution system is not universal as it is implemented in 19 hill and mountain districts of the Mid- and Far-Western development region of Nepal. The beneficiaries of the project are crop farmers (estimated direct beneficiaries 50,000), livestock farmers (32,500), women engaged in household/kitchen-garden production (35,000), and households with pregnant and nursing (with children 6-24 months) women (45,000). The MoAD is the executing ministry which implements the project activities through its district level offices (DLSO and DADO) under DLS and DoA and works closely with the MoHP to implement the project. Nothing more is not known about this project at this stage. http://www.foodandenvironment.com/2013/10/agriculture-and-food-security-project.html)
School Meal
There is small programme of school meal, implemented by WFP together with the Ministry of Education. The objective of this programme is twofold. In the short term, the programme aims to keep children in school as well as to enhance their attention through provision of a nutritious school meal. In the long term, the programme aims to break the cycle of hunger by promoting education, in particular of the women. In 2013, up to 330,000 children benefited from the programme (source: https://www.wfp.org/countries/nepal)
Infant and Young Child Feeding
Infant and young child feeding programme is also introduced in Nepal. It is the Nepal Government in collaboration with WFP has implemented this programme. The primary objective of the WFP’s nutrition activities would include prevention of malnutrition among children between 6-23 months, pregnant and lactating women through WFP’s Mother-and-Child-Health and Nutrition Programme. Now Government of Nepal provides only 3 KG fbf to the beneficiaries of the programme. In one estimate, the programme could bring yearly under its fold as many as 110,000 mothers and children (source: https://www.wfp.org/countries/nepal).
Children under Five Years
Now we turn our focus to the social security programme that is designed to protect/assist the children below the age of 5. The scheme to support the children below 5 years of age is part of the State's cash transfer program and is connected with "Social Security Operation Procedure-2069 (2012)". This is a targeted programme that is operational in both rural and urban areas. The entitlement is given to improve the level of nutrition of the children of targeted group. The benefit of the programme is to reach two children from each poor Dalit family across the country and two children from each family of Karnali Zone. Entitlement is made in cash through banking transfer on a trimester basis. Every recipient receives an amount of NRs 200 in a month to assist increasing the level of nutrition among the children of the Dalit and Karnali region family.
