Improvement in infrastructure can enhance food security in Nepal: WFP

Improvement of roads and trails in mountain regions can enhance food security and nutrition in Nepal's remote areas, as per the report "Road and Market Access and Household Food Security in Nepal" by World Food Program (WFP).

According to WFP, improvement of infrastructures such as roads and bridges can unlock various opportunities of livelihood and improve food security in the country.

With a population of 28.5 million, 41 per cent of children under five are stunted, more than 20 per cent of Nepal's population lives below the poverty line with less than USD 0.50 per day. WFP has been working to prevent malnutrition by providing school meals to 190000 children along with toilets and other facilities, as per WFP.

Majority of communities in Nepal who live in mountains are not able to grow enough to meet their food needs. Food on mountains costs three times more than the original price in the Terai, as per WFP Country Director, Pippa Bradford.

She added that more than 60 per cent of children are lacking nutrition in their body and are facing threat to living with lifelong effects of undernutrition. The households spend their money on non-staple food which is easily available and had more diverse nutritious diets, as per Xinhuanet.

WFP is working to enlarge access by improving trails and roads in Nepal especially focussing on remote areas which are hard to reach.