LALITPUR, DECEMBER 10
This year, Nepal scored 14.8 on the Global Hunger Index (GHI), ranking 72nd globally and being categorized as experiencing a moderate level of hunger. GHI is an annual tool that measures and compares the severity of various hunger indicators, such as malnutrition and child mortality, with global, regional, and national figures. It is published annually by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and Alliance2015 partner Concern Worldwide, with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) joining as a partner since 2024.
In Kathmandu, the report was launched in the presence of government authorities, development practitioners, researchers, private-sector representatives, farmers' association representatives, and civil society to reflect on the country's hunger and nutrition situation and chart actionable pathways forward.
"Nepal faces food and nutrition challenges from climate risks, declining biodiversity, and inequality. The government is strengthening coordination, implementing the Right to Food, supporting local food systems, and expanding nutrition and social protection programs. Ecological agriculture, data-driven local initiatives, and investments in innovation and youth agro-entrepreneurship are central to achieving a hunger-free, well-nourished Nepal", stated the Chief Guest Rameshwor Prasad Khanal, Minister of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) and Minister of Finance (MoF), to bring light on Nepal's food and nutrition security landscape.
Contextualizing national opportunities and challenges for reducing hunger, Dr. Bimala Rai Paudel, former member of the upper house parliament mentioned, "Nepal has made notable progress in reducing hunger through multiple policies, multisector approaches, community-based nutrition interventions, and advances in gender equality. Yet, one in four children still suffers from stunting, highlighting the need for sustained, coordinated action, and stronger policies. Women are central to this effort, as their empowerment directly drives progress in combating hunger and malnutrition."
The GHI has been a crucial evidence base for tracking Nepal's progress in reducing hunger, supporting government planning, budgeting, and policy implementation, and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders working in food and nutrition security.
The Deputy Head of Mission from the German Embassy, Benjamin Seidel, added that the data from the GHI is not just statistics. It is a call to action. Ending hunger is a shared responsibility that no country can tackle alone. He emphasized the need for strong partnerships between governments, communities, and development partners to strengthen local food systems, build resilient communities, and focus on nutrition especially for mothers, infants, and young children. Following his statement, Vikash Deuja,
Technical Expert in Nutrition at WHH, informed that stunting has increased in Nepal by 1.2% as compared to last year i.e.2024 and is higher than the acceptable rate of <20% and informed that still 5.2% of the population lacks sufficient calorie intake. The geopolitical tensions and reliance on remittances further heighten households' vulnerability.
The event began with Welthungerhilfe Nepal Country Director, Shakeb Nabi, outlining the purpose of the Global Hunger Index (GHI) and why it has become a key reference for planners, policymakers, and implementers. He highlighted how the GHI is being used in Nepal to strategically reach those who are most food insecure. While Nepal's GHI score has improved over the decades, he noted that progress has stagnated since 2016 due to geopolitical uncertainties, declining international support as Nepal graduates from least developed country (LDC) status, and persistent vulnerabilities in remote regions. He emphasized the urgent need for inclusive, climate-resilient food systems to address these challenges.
Additionally, Thakur Bhandari, Chairperson of FECOFUN, shared the need to raise awareness about forestry and bring it into the mainstream, noting that agriculture and forestry must go hand in hand to effectively improve the country's hunger situation. "Nepal's remittance-driven economy is unsustainable, and true transformation requires diversifying economic sources. Tackling malnutrition and food insecurity will require engaging youth, promoting local food systems, indigenous crops, mixed farming, and agroecological practices, as well as collaborative efforts from governments, the private sector, civil society, and communities," added Dr. Ram Krishna Shrestha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Department (MoALD). Highlighting sustainability, Bharat Bhandari, Executive Director of LI-BIRD, underscored that sustainable progress depends on food systems approach built on multisectoral, multistakeholder collaboration, prioritizing vulnerable populations, especially women, and strengthening local leadership and locally led actions.
Audience questions focused on the commercialization of agroecological products, the lack of youth- inclusive policies, and the gendered social roles of women in farming. The speakers responded by emphasizing the need to support market access and value addition for agroecological produce, actively engage youth in food systems transformation and policy design, and invest in women, noting that farming has increasingly become feminized.
To localize the report on the local food and nutrition scenario, GHI had also been launched in Surkhet a month ago. The local and provincial leaders underscored that despite challenges like outmigration and fallow land, nutrition initiatives, including kitchen gardens, nutrition-friendly wards, and community committees, to an extent, are helping to connect agriculture and nutrition. The speakers had unanimously called for stronger multi-sector coordination, province-specific plans and policies, and gender-inclusive, resilient food systems.
Drawing on the underlying issues of food and nutrition security, key recommendations were put forth in the launch events:
1. Strengthening multi-sector nutrition coordination from federal to local levels.
2. Investment in climate-resilient and nature-friendly agriculture was emphasized.
3. Support for diverse and indigenous food systems to build resilient local food economies was highlighted.
4. Enhancing data-driven planning and budget allocation for food and nutrition security was discussed.
5. Promotion of nutrition-sensitive agriculture, particularly for vulnerable groups, was underscored.
6. Expansion of market linkages and value-chain development was encouraged.
7. Ensuring gender equality and investing in women as a cross-cutting pillar in hunger reduction was stressed.
8. Strengthening the effective implementation of the Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act was highlighted.
9. Forestry and agriculture should go together to improve food and nutrition security.
Working to improve food and nutrition security, promote climate resilient agriculture, support livelihoods, provide humanitarian aid, and strengthen local governance for vulnerable and marginalized communities, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Nepal has been organizing the launch events. This year it was collaboratively organized with LI-BIRD.
