Kathmandu: During the Plenary Session on Food Systems Transformation in Practice at the UN Food Systems Summit-2023 in Rome, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' emphasized the critical need to combat hunger and food insecurity with more determination. Despite uncertain progress towards achieving SDG 2 on zero hunger, Dahal believes that transforming food systems is like constructing a fortress against hunger.

In his address, the Prime Minister presented an assessment of the challenges faced in recent years. In 2020, nearly 3 billion people struggled to afford a healthy diet, and millions suffered from acute hunger. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this situation, while conflicts and the climate crisis added to the complexity of the problem. Modern food systems were found to be inadequate in providing a sustainable future, as they contributed to biodiversity loss, exacerbated inequality, and promoted unsustainable production and consumption. Moreover, these systems worsened climate change by generating greenhouse gas emissions and eroding indigenous practices. The negative impact on public health was evident through an increase in non-communicable diseases.

Prime Minister Dahal emphasized that transforming food systems was vital not only for combating hunger but also for improving livelihoods, driving economic development, and enhancing overall quality of life. He envisioned a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable food system that could achieve these goals.

Nepal has taken specific measures to transform its food systems, including the full implementation of the Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act of 2018. This legal framework aims to improve food governance and policy coherence in health, agriculture, food security, and nutrition, ensuring the right to food for all citizens. Following the UN Food Systems Summit 2021, Nepal conducted national and provincial level food systems dialogues to assess vulnerabilities and design pathways for transformation. A Food Systems Transformation Strategic Plan (2022-2030) was subsequently prepared to align actions with the 2030 agenda and achieve all Sustainable Development Goals.

The Prime Minister highlighted Nepal's commitment to developing a sustainable food chain that offers affordable, safe, healthy, and nutritious diets. The country aims to boost agriculture productivity, support local farming, and invest in better storage systems to reduce waste. Encouraging public-private partnerships to improve infrastructure and value chains, Nepal also places a priority on revitalizing local indigenous food systems, including increased investment in indigenous food grains like millet.

Dahal acknowledged the myriad of challenges faced in transforming food systems, including low productivity, post-production losses, climate shocks, and weak resilience. As a Least Developed Country (LDC), Nepal faces additional hurdles such as inadequate storage, markets, cold chains, low mechanization, high production costs, weak market linkages, and uneven distribution systems. The major obstacle in the transformation process is the funding gap, hindering the implementation of planned activities for capacity development across different levels of the food system.

In conclusion, Prime Minister Dahal called for collective efforts to transform the food system, highlighting its significance in ensuring people's well-being, empowering communities, conserving the environment, and building a sustainable future for all.