Nepal Country Programme (2013–2017)

This operation has been modified as per budget revision 1 (see below)

Nepal is on track to achieve most of its Millennium Development Goal targets by 2015, but it remains one of the world’s poorest and least-developed countries. Political instability, limited economic growth, high prices and natural disasters have resulted in 6.7 million people living below the national poverty line – a quarter of the population. Poverty rates reach 42 percent in the mountains and 37 percent in the mid-western and far-western hills.

Malnutrition rates are high and 15 percent of the population is food-insecure: stunting among children under 5 is 41 percent, underweight is 29 percent and wasting is 11 percent. The goal of this country programme is to enhance the resilience of communities prone to shocks and foster the food and nutrition security of vulnerable people. Its objectives are to: reduce undernutrition among pregnant and lactating women and children under 5; increase children’s access to pre-primary and basic education and enhance its quality; support the re-establishment of livelihoods and food and nutrition security in communities affected by shocks; and enable the development of sustainable nationally owned food-security systems.

Country programme 200319 supports the Government in tackling food insecurity, focusing on social safety nets in education, nutrition and productive assets for livelihoods support. WFP will also reinforce the institutions and systems needed for nationally owned food-security solutions.

The programme is in line with WFP’s Nepal country strategy (2010–2013), the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (2013–2017) and the Government’s development plans. It contributes to Millennium Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 and to Strategic Objectives 3, 4 and 5.

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Budget revision 1 increases the total budget from US$215,328,450 to US$216,275,282 reflecting increases in the number of beneficiaries and associated costs, as well as an adjustment in planned tonnages. There is no change in project orientation, and the food basket adjustment is a result of realignment with Government policy (reduction of the nutrition ration) and inclusion of rice and sugar to meet the changed requirements.