Nepal's Agriculture Faces Production Success Amidst Food Security and Nutrition Challenges
Summary
Nepal’s food grain production has risen sharply, but malnutrition, uneven food distribution and food insecurity remain widespread. A working paper warns that climate change, weak storage systems, import dependence and poor policy implementation are undermining the link between agricultural output and public health.
Key Points
- Nepal’s food grain output has climbed to more than 7.3 million metric tons, creating a surplus on paper, but distribution remains uneven across regions.
- Despite production gains, Nepal still faces moderate hunger, child stunting, anemia and a growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
- Climate change, falling groundwater, soil degradation, labor migration and post-harvest losses are major challenges facing agriculture.
- The paper calls for climate-resilient farming, better storage and value chains, nutrition-focused agriculture and stronger support for innovation.
