KATHMANDU, JUNE 29
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has reiterated Nepal's commitment to ensuring its citizens' right to food, underscoring constitutional provisions that guarantee this fundamental right.
Minister Rana made these remarks while addressing a session on Nutrition and Development in Vulnerable States during the Ministerial Special Session of the 44th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), themed From Vulnerability to Resilience: Strengthening Food Security and Better Life in Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries, and Landlocked Developing Countries, held in Rome on Sunday.
"Nepal has recognised the right to food as a fundamental right, and laws on the right to food and food sovereignty provide a legal foundation for its implementation. Additionally, the implementation of the Food Systems Transformation Strategic Plan (2022–2030) further supports the realisation of this right," Dr Rana told the global gathering.
She also highlighted Nepal's recent legislative advancements, including the Food Safety and Quality Act 2024 and the Food Safety and Quality Control Policy, which aim to ensure access to safe and quality food through regulatory standards, laboratory surveillance, and consumer protection.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Rana said, "A separate consumer court has been established to safeguard consumer rights, which helps build trust in the local food system and supports the health of citizens by promoting healthy food as a natural right."
She further informed the audience that Nepal has made significant strides in child health and nutrition over the past two decades.
Citing progress indicators, she reported that child stunting has declined from 57 percent to 25 percent, underweight prevalence has dropped from 42 percent to 24 percent, and child wasting has reduced from 15 percent to 8 percent. "Our Global Hunger Index (GHI) score has improved from 37 in 2000 to 22.4 in 2024," she noted, adding that "these achievements are not mere statistics, but a testament to strong political commitment, community engagement, activism, and cross-sectoral coordination."
Dr Rana credited programmes such as vitamin A supplementation and the Golden 1,000 Days Programme with reaching millions of children nationwide, significantly reducing child mortality and undernutrition.
She noted that awareness and behaviour-change campaigns are being expanded through schools, media, and health services to promote healthy eating habits, while school-based nutrition education is shifting food preferences toward fresh, local produce.
Calling for the harnessing of emerging opportunities, the minister emphasised the need for greater access to artificial intelligence, digital agriculture platforms, and modern science and technology to enhance agricultural and nutritional outcomes.
Climate Change a Serious Threat
Dr Rana also flagged climate change as a serious threat to Nepal's agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods, citing challenges such as melting glaciers, erratic rainfall, extreme weather events, and climate-induced disasters. She stressed the importance of increased international cooperation, access to financial resources, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing to support nutrition and prosperity.
She underscored the pivotal role of international organisations such as FAO and UNICEF in addressing these global challenges.
Highlighting Nepal's efforts to generate greater consumer demand for healthy diets, Dr Rana pointed to national strategies such as the National Nutrition Policy 2020, Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, and Multi-Sector Nutrition Plan II, which integrate food-based interventions across health, education, and agriculture sectors.
In her address, the minister also drew attention to emerging domestic challenges, including the outmigration of youth-resulting in a declining rural workforce-and increasing human–wildlife conflict, particularly in the hill and mountain regions, which threatens food security and livelihoods.
"We must protect and promote our rich agro-biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and high-altitude crops," she stressed. "To achieve this, we need targeted investments, technical assistance, agricultural system modernisation, and access to advanced technologies such as AI."
