Food security situation remains stable

The overall food security situation has remained stable across the country.
“It is mainly attributed to a good harvest of winter crops (April-June) and employment opportunities generated by development aid,” according to Nepal Food Security Bulletin jointly produced by Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and World Food Programme (WFP).
The main winter crops of wheat and barley production increased by 12.2 per cent and 9.6 per cent respectively compared to last year. Wheat production set a national record of 1.75 million metric tonne.
The situation, however, remains a concern for some in some pocket areas where crops were affected by localised natural disasters like insufficient rainfall and hailstorm, the report added.In Saptari the District Food Security network (DFSN) has identified 28 Village Development Committees (VDCs) in the south-western belt of the district as highly food insecure.
The report has attributed it to a 60 per cent reduction of wheat and spring paddy production due to a dry spell, which was cumulative to the 2010 reduction of 40-60 per cent in the main paddy production. Parts of the Eastern Hill and Mountain districts are reported as moderately food insecure, it said, adding that it reflected a seasonal deterioration in those areas where winter crops like wheat and barley are cultivated in limited areas and hence do not play a significant role in food security.
Most of the Mid and the Far Western Hill and Mountain districts reported a food secure situation, according to the report. Overall wheat and barley production ranged from normal to a 30 per cent or higher increase compared to last year.
Development programmes supported by various organisations have created good employment opportunities, it said, adding that main summer crops of maize and paddy are growing well across the country and the overall production outlook is good.
Good production of winter crops, wage employment opportunities created by development programmes, remittances, and regular supply of food to the local markets contributed to a stable food security situation across the country, it concluded, adding that a seasonal deterioration is reported in part of the Eastern Hill and Mountain districts where the winter crops of wheat and barley are cultivated in limited areas and do not play a vital role in food security.
The situation in upper Dolpa and some Village Development Committees in the northern and the southernbelt of Baitadi are likely to deteriorate to the highly food insecure phase during the next cycle as there will be no incoming harvest and employment opportunities as well as market supply will be affected by monsoon.
The food security situation in the rest of the country will remain stable expected to improve due to the positive outlook of summer crops.According to the central bank, High food prices remain a concern. The year-on-year inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index, increased by 8.8 per cent in mid-June 2011 whereas the indices of the cereal subgroup increased by 10.4 per cent.