Karnali: The ‘Global Hunger Index 2025’ report was officially launched in Karnali Province by Binod Kumar Shah, Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives. The event, held in Birendranagar, Surkhet, was organized by Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD) with support from Welthungerhilfe.
Minister Shah stated that the report serves as an important reference for identifying areas that require improvement in Nepal’s food and nutrition sector, particularly in Karnali. He highlighted that the provincial government has introduced several initiatives, including the Food Sovereignty Act, Organic Agriculture Act, Agricultural Business Promotion Act, and an Agricultural Strategy, as well as a draft Pollination Strategy, to strengthen the Zero Hunger campaign.
Acknowledging Karnali’s limited arable land, the Minister emphasized that the province is focusing on cultivating high-value crops to maximize productivity. He said the findings of the Global Hunger Index would help the provincial government design effective policies for farmers and agricultural workers. He also suggested that the key topics outlined in the report should be included as mandatory study materials for local representatives, provincial officials, and agricultural experts.
Laxman Khatri, Programme Head at LI-BIRD, noted that the organization has been publishing the Global Hunger Index report in Nepal for the past seven years. While stunting remains a major challenge, he said there has been notable progress in reducing wasting and child mortality rates.
Khatri stressed that coordinated, multi-dimensional nutrition efforts aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could make hunger eradication achievable. “All three tiers of government must prioritize this agenda,” he said, adding that LI-BIRD is implementing agriculture and nutrition programmes in Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces to enhance food security.
(RSS)
