The government has pledged to ensure food security.
Addressing a programme organised on the occasion of the 40th World Food Day today, agriculture minister Ghanashyam Bhusal claimed to ensure food security as his ministry is preparing new policies and regulations to regulate the food production and distribution sector. “The Food Act has been prepared as per the spirit of the constitution,” he said, adding that the regulations are also being drafted. “The issue of right to food and healthy food for everyone has been addressed constitutionally and politically, but a lot of work still remains to be done.”
“Farmers alone cannot sort out their problems,” he said, adding that at least one agricultural technician in every ward is the need of the day to develop the agricultural sector.
Speaking in the occasion, chairperson of Alliance of Agriculture for Food campaign Uddhav Adhikari stressed on increasing production to discourage the import of agricultural products. “The government is adopting sustainable development of agriculture through organic agriculture,” he said, adding that a task force formed by the ministry for the promotion of organic agriculture has already submitted its report but there has been no response so far. “The government needs to be serious and bring result oriented policies.”
Likewise agriculture secretary Rajendra Prasad Bhari said that the ministry is working on the classification of farmers to ensure access to food for all. “We are now planning to categorise farmers and provide facilities through a voucher system,” he said, adding that the ministry has also asked all the provinces to provide farmers’ data. “The ministry also has a plan to reduce chemical farming and promote organic farming.”
The private sector and local governments have decided to buy and sell the agricultural produce from the farmers as the products cannot be bought only by the food management and trade companies, he added.
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