Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari said that the government is committed to ensuring the right to food as a fundamental right as a welfare state.
Addressing an inaugural session and ministerial roundtable of the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from July 27-29, Minister Adhikari asserted that the right to food has been enshrined as a fundamental right by the Nepal's Constitution.
The minister also apprised the delegates of the summit that the government of Nepal has issued the Food Rights and Sovereignty Act and related regulations to enact the Right to Food.
Minister Adhikari noted, "It is not only a legal provision but also a political and ethical responsibility which will guide the national efforts."
He emphasized the need for a small economy like Nepal to develop the local food system and strengthen it to tackle the problems emanating from climate-related vulnerabilities, fragile mountainous terrain, degraded ecosystem, loss of biodiversity, rising food and agricultural imports and increasing consumption of unhealthy foods among others.
Shedding light on various government initiatives to support and empower the local farmers, women and youths as a part of development of local food system and strengthening program, the minister mentioned that priority has been accorded to the production of nutritious local and indigenous crops and development of value chain.
He also informed about the government's initiatives to incorporate locally produced food items in the school midday meal which, he added, had contributed in addressing the malnutrition among the school-going children thereby positively impacting their learning outcomes.
This effort, according to him, had also supported the rural economy and aiding the development of a resilient local food system.
He shared about various sustainable and resilient agricultural practices being exercised and promoted in Nepal such as environment friendly agriculture, organic farming, climate-friendly agriculture and agricultural biodiversity and agroforestry systems.
He said that Nepal, as a low-income country, lacks the financial and institutional strength to transform its current food system into a sustainable, resilient and inclusive one in order to improve food security and nutrition.
Highlighting the growing challenges caused by climate change in food production and the security system, the minister called for international support to address these issues.
