Food crisis declared without adequate study

By: : MEHRAJ KHADKA

Date: 2013-04-17

Catagory: Country

RUKUM, April 16

In Morabang Rukum

Stakeholders claimed that food crisis has become a rarity in Rukum with road connection and increase in crop yield in the recent times despite news about worrying food scarcity every year.

The problem has arisen with the District Food Security Network declaring it as a district suffering from food scarcity without analyzing adequate data. The network states 12 village development committees (VDC) in the north-eastern part of the district face food scarcity. Gotamkot, Syalakhadi, Sisne, Hukam, Ranmamaikot, Kole, Taksera, Kankri, Kanda, Morawang, Mahat and Rangshi VDCs have been listed as facing food shortage by the network. "Even cash crops could not be cultivated in those VDCs," Chief District Officer (CDO) Krishna Prasad Adhikari, who chairs the network, said.

But the locals and businessmen do not agree with the network and the locals even have started to doubt the repeated claims of the network that the VDCs of a single region are facing food crisis. Fatte Pun, a local, said Rukumkot, considered the center of eastern Rukum, got road connection three years ago and Taksera, that is still considered remote, has also got road link and do not face food scarcity as small jeeps and tractors are used to transport food grains. The local busninessmen also have started to open more grocery stores as food can be transported by road.

Maize is the main crop of eastern Rukum, with a dominant Magar population, and the locals store maize for a long time at their homes. The locals had kept bunches o

f maize outside their houses when this scribe reached Morawang that apparently faces food scarcity some time back. Chandrakala Pun, a local, stated that the Magars of this area traditionally eat nettle and dhindo (millet porridge), and eat rice only occasionally. Eastern Rukum has also started to cultivate other crops with the locals earning well by growing potatoes and apples. Food problem is getting rarer as the locals have also started to earn money by picking yarchagumba and selling other local products.

CDO and president of the network Adhikari conceded that there may have been some problem in collecting data. "The issue is also brought to our attention by the civil society from time to time. I have already instructed the technicians concerned to reach every village to collect the actual data from this time," he said. Altogether 21 organizations including District Agriculture Development Office, Nepal Food Corporation and World Food Program, along with the district administration, work for food security in Rukum. Nepal Food Corporation transports food grains to the VDCs declared to be facing food crisis by the network. The network has also revealed that 30 percent of the local crop yield is used to produce alcohol. But a local claimed that no one produces alcohol in a huge quantity that can lead to food scarcity.    source-http://en.karobardaily.com/news/2013/04/Food-crisis-declared-without-adequate-study