Kathmandu, March 

The country has prepared the National Action Plan (2016–2025) in line with the Zero Hunger Challenge Initiative. It is an initiative taken by Nepal to eradicate hunger in the country in line with the Zero Hunger Challenge declared by the Secretary General of the United Nations at the Rio Conference held in Brazil, in 2012.

The action plan was jointly launched by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Jose Graziano da Silva, director general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), today.

Unveiling the action plan, PM Oli said that the country has been able to stabilise political aspirations of its people after the promulgation of the new constitution. “Now, there is a need for the country to move for economic reform. In this context, adopting the Zero Hunger Challenge and brining this National Action Plan to overcome such challenges in the country are both pertinent as well as timely,” the prime minister added.

Similarly, FAO Director General Silva appreciated Nepal’s high-level political will as well as commitment in setting hunger and poverty eradication target in a national priority agenda. He acknowledged that the National Action Plan is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the international community last year. “Hungry people cannot wait. Therefore, we should not be looking for any other number but ‘zero’,” he said. He expressed commitment that the FAO will continue supporting Nepal and the development partners including the civil society organisations in implementing the Plan as it also complements the international and

regional programmes.

Speaking in the programme, Minister for Agricultural Development Haribol Prasad Gajurel said that his ministry has been working towards the goal of eradicating hunger through its approval of the Agriculture Development Strategy, and the recently declared 27-point commitment of Ministry of Agricultural Development-2072, which aims to make country self-reliant in agriculture production.

At the event, Yubaraj Khatiwada, vice chairperson of National Planning Commission highlighted that Nepal’s situation

is unique to hunger given its difficult topography, which demands an adequate focus on physical infrastructure.

The Plan was prepared by Ministry of Agricultural Development in collaboration with the United Nations with technical support of FAO.