NEPAL: FAO failure of subsidized seeds affects 1463 agricultural families causing food insecurity in hill regions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) December 20, 2010 --

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Food First Information and Action Network Nepal (FIAN Nepal) that the farmers failed to cultivate the seed subsidized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in two hill districts Baitadi and Doti, causing increase of food insecurity. This failure is not the first time and there have been two previous failures this year. 1463 agricultural households were affected whereas the government as well as the FAO has not taken substantial action for compensation. It is alleged that FAO Nepal office distributed the inappropriate seeds for hill area instead of the one the government recommended. However, the government authority has failed to monitor the seed distribution and cultivation. The District Agriculture Department Office is conducting an investigation into the matter and the FAO has acknowledged its responsibility but no steps for compensation for the affected farmers has been taken so far.

CASE NARRATIVE:

In hill districts, the small scaled-farmers possessing less than 0.3 hectares agricultural land have received the seed support subsidized by European Union Food Facility Fund and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) this year. They are the poorest among the farmers living in Baitadi and Doti districts, who manage food merely by migrating twice a year during off-season; from November to June and from late July to October. They cultivate crops from small land, from which they get little food.

more details: http://www.humanrights.asia/news/hunger-alerts/AHRC-HAC-012-2010

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