PM Oli vows no one remains hungry, no one dies of hunger

Kathmandu - Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has vowed no one remains hungry and no one dies of hunger. In a massage given on the occasion of 40th World Food Day here Friday, PM Oli reiterated that the government was effortful to ensure basic food security to the citizens. In the message, he said, “It is the responsibility of a welfare state to ensure basic food security to the citizens.

Thus, the constitution of Nepal has defined the right to food as one of the fundamental rights.” PM Oli added that to implement the right, the government has also brought Food Sovereignty Act- 2075 BS. He argued that it was also the duty of all the citizens to contribute from their part to alleviate poverty and help materialize the campaign ‘no one remains hungry and no one dies from hunger.’

The head of the government said that the incumbent government had formulated agriculture strategies, annual plans and programmes that were guided by the Goal No 2 of the Sustainable Development Goal which mentions ‘Zero Hunger’ and aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

“The current 15th national periodic plan has aimed to build a society with food security, sustainable food and nutrition security by ensuring basic food security to the areas and groups at risk of nutrition and food insecurity, improving income generation through agriculture and non-agriculture enterprises and enhancing access to food among others,” read the message.

The PM in the message also asserted that the government was working actively to ensure economic prosperity in the country and to bring happiness in the lives of people. Nepal government is effortful to double agricultural products in 10 years with modernization and commercialization of agriculture which needs huge investment on infrastructure development.

Minimum support price of food is fixed before cultivating any crop. Policy is put in place to ensure farmers' saving. The 40th World Food Day this year is marked in the country with the theme 'our effort for sustainable agriculture, nutritious food'. According to him, agriculture for food security and sovereignty, conservation of biological diversity, diversification of production, protection of natural resources and just use, increased practice of nutritious food, role of hardworking farmers on production and supply chain of food in the wake of COVID-19 and respect to labour are included in the national theme of the Day.

He further reminded that the issues of food safety were included in the lists of the rights of federal, state and local level governments. Strong coordination among these governments is imperative for agricultural development and guarantee of nutritious foods. PM Oli called all layers of government to act in tandem to effectively implement the government policy.

Entire world is fighting against the social and economic adversities caused by COVID-19, he added. Moreover, he mentioned, "In the country with small economy like ours, the pandemic has badly impacted the marginalized farmers. I call on the concerned bodies to be united to protect agriculture from this effect and secure food security and availability."