Food insecurity increases

Some 163 village development committees (VDCs) in a dozen districts are identified as highly food insecure.

"Forty-four per cent of the population in Humla and Bajura are reportedly facing a high level of food insecurity," according to a report by the UN Word Food Programme (WFP).

"Other districts with households that are facing a high level of food insecurity are Mugu, Kalikot, Rukum, Surkhet, Achham, Doti, Bajhang, Baitadi, Dadeldhura and Darchula," it said, adding that these households have both very limited food stocks and limited financial resources to purchase food.

"Most households are coping by reducing consumption, borrowing money or food and selling assets," the report added.

In total, 49,300 people are estimated to be highly food insecure in the Karnali region, this represents a reduction of 58 per cent compared to the same period last year. The year-on-year improvement is largely the result of income from cash crops including walnuts and apples and sale of Yarchagumba (medicinal herb), WFP backlog payment and opening of the Tibetan border in Mugu, Humla and Dolpa districts.

"The overall national food security situation began to improve in September due to the harvest of maize and an improvement in road access in hill and mountain areas following the end of the monsoon," according to the report.

Maize is one of the major summer crops and the first to be harvested. At a national level, maize production is reported to be normal to moderately impaired. The national outlook for paddy and millet which will be harvested in most areas by the end of November is also expected to be normal to moderately impaired.

"Despite the relatively normal national harvest, significant localised crop losses are expected in some areas," it said, "Decreases in summer crop production of between 30-50 per cent are expected across multiple VDCs in Mid and Far Western Hill and Mountain region due to localised natural disasters, poor climatic conditions and pest infestation.

Insufficient rainfall significantly reduced the area available for paddy plantation in Siraha and Saptari. In the southern belt of Siraha and the western belt of Saptari production is expected to decrease by 40-60 per cent.

July – August is an agricultural lean period in Nepal and typically a season of increased food insecurity. In addition, flooding and landslides caused by monsoon regularly routes and result in localised crop losses. Udayapur. Humla and Dolpa districts. also expected to be normal to moderately impaired.