Nepal Earthquake’s impact on Food Security &
Agriculture
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The impact of the recent major earthquake on food security
and agricultural livelihoods expected to be very high.
Farmers who miss the planting season that is expected to
start late May onwards will be unable to harvest rice - the country's staple
food -- again until late 2016. This, together with likely losses of food stocks
and wheat and maize harvests, would severely limit food supplies and incomes in
the South Asian country, where around two-thirds of people rely on agriculture
for their livelihood, FAO said.
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Last week, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake - the country's biggest
in 80 years - shook Nepal, killing thousands while limiting access to food and
leaving some 3.5 million in need of food assistance.
Agricultural areas among worst hit:
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As a result, internal trade, including the movement of emergency assistance, is severely constrained.
Before the earthquake hit, FAO estimated Nepal's wheat
production in 2015 at 1.8 million tonnes - some 5% below last year's record
harvest. But crop damage and farmer's inability to harvest in
earthquake-affected areas are likely to change this forecast.
In addition, disruption of planting operations for rice and
maize may severely reduce the planted area for these crops in the most affected
areas.
Critical
window of opportunity:
In addition to distributing crop-production packages to
secure this year's harvest, FAO and partners will support the Nepalese
government in preventing further loss of livestock by providing animal feed and
veterinary supplies that will ensure animals stay healthy and productive for
families relying on them for food and income.
In all, FAO will support 20,000 of the most vulnerable
farming households protect and rebuild their livelihoods. Timely agricultural
interventions are essential to increase the resilience of affected farming
families and greatly reduce the time and cost of recovery.
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"At the same time, we need to do all we can to preserve
vital livestock assets which provide affected families with much needed income
and nutrition," added Pipoppinyo.
UN agencies and partners launched a $415 million emergency
appeal for Nepal to address the most urgent needs. FAO's appeal is part of a
larger $128-million request under the Food Security Cluster, led by FAO and the
World Food Programme. In addition to emergency agriculture support, the cluster
aims to distribute 50,000 tonnes of food to families in need, along with
setting up cash-transfer programmes and helping communities rebuild.
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