Bhutan country strategic plan (2024–2028)

CSP approved at EB February 2024 session.

After several decades of economic growth, the Kingdom of Bhutan graduated from the category of least-developed country in December 2023. However, despite sustained progress towards its Sustainable Development Goal targets for zero hunger, the country faces a triple burden of malnutrition, with micronutrient deficiencies, undernutrition and overnutrition disproportionately affecting poor people. Diets characterized by a dependency on staple and processed foods reflect food preferences and problems with the accessibility and affordability of nutritious food. Although agriculture is a critical contributor to the national economy, engagement in farming is closely correlated with poverty. Agriculture continues to operate at a subsistence level with low productivity, high post-harvest losses and low earnings. The outmigration of men and young people from rural areas has led to an increase in the disproportionate labour burden faced by women smallholder farmers. Climate change, natural hazards and structural weaknesses in agricultural markets compound these inequalities, creating barriers to Bhutan’s attainment of its Sustainable Development Goal objectives.

Under this country strategic plan for 2024–2028, WFP will strengthen and support the Government’s efforts to deliver equitable and inclusive economic growth and advance human capital development. All WFP activities will continue to operate with and through its partners in the Government. A prominent feature of the country strategic plan will be the expansion of WFP’s capacity strengthening efforts for government institutions and the engagement of private sector partners, with a focus on gender issues. Key contributions will include the expansion of investments in and capacities for resilient food systems, the integration of nutrition considerations into social protection programmes such as school feeding, and the strengthening of systems for emergency preparedness and response.

This strategy is anchored in and guided by Bhutan’s draft 13th five-year plan for 2024–2029 and the associated priorities of the United Nations sustainable development cooperation framework for 2024–2028. It is informed by WFP’s analyses of smallholder production, agricultural markets and nutritious diets, carried out under the previous country strategic plan for 2019–2023, and the valuable learning gained from institutional capacity strengthening following the successful transition of school feeding interventions to full government management in 2019. Through greater attention to transformative actions, WFP will prioritize rural women’s economic empowerment, the inclusion of persons with disabilities and the generation of business and employment opportunities for young people of both sexes.

This overall ambition of the country strategic plan will be realized through the achievement of two country strategic plan outcomes:

➢ Outcome 1: Rural populations in Bhutan, particularly women smallholder farmers, young people and persons with disabilities, achieve climate-resilient livelihoods and increased food security and nutrition by 2030.

➢ Outcome 2: The citizens of Bhutan, particularly vulnerable population groups, benefit from enhanced human capital and a food system that is resilient to climate and other crises and shocks by 2030.