$78m effort to improve food security in Mid-, Far-West

THE government and donors on Tuesday launched two separate projects worth $78.4 million directed at improving food security in the Mid- and Far Western regions through increased agricultural productivity. The projects are the Knowledge-based Integrated Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition Project (KISAN) and the Agriculture and Food Security Project (AFSP). Their goal is to open credit flow to farmers, support cost-effective irrigation and adaptation of sustainable agriculture practices and improve nutrition and hygiene. The five-year KISAN project worth $20.4 million is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Feed the Future initiative in Nepal. The project has two components— increase agriculture productivity and nutrition—and will be executed in coordination with the Agriculture and Health and Population ministries. The project objective is to improve food security, increase income and diversify diets for 160,000 disadvantaged and rural households in 20 Mid- and Far Western districts through integrated agriculture and nutrition activities. Meanwhile, the $58 million AFSP is a five-year project under World Bank supervision which will be implemented in 19 Mid- and Far Western districts by Nepal’s government line ministries. The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) under the Global Agriculture Fund (GAF) have extended $46.5 million while the Nepal government is contributing $11.5 million for the AFSP. The AFSP aims to improve the food security situation of 150,000 households of poor and marginalized groups in the Mid- and Far Western regions by increasing agriculture production, increasing household income and improving utilization of food. “Both projects reflect the US government’s commitment to food security through President Obama’s feed the future and global health initiatives,” said Peter W Bodde, US Ambassador to Nepal, speaking at the launching of the programme here. “Instead of simply delivering food aid, this initiative will help Nepal to promote inclusive agriculture growth and improve the nutrition of women and children.” Tahseen Sayed, country manager of the World Bank for Nepal, said the project, which is one of the unique operations, would lead to agriculture entrepreneurship and create more jobs in those localities where large numbers of vulnerable people, specially women, live. Agriculture Ministry Secretary Jay Mukunda Khanal said that the Mid- and Far Western regions are facing severe food security and malnutrition and hoped the two projects would enhance food security besides enabling farmers to improve their entrepreneurship.