- Binita Wosti
Covid-19 pandemic has sent large shock waves through global economies. Many sectors have dealt higher demand, lesser supply and shortage of labor and goods. Food sector is also dealing with such problems in this pandemic. In spite of being food secure, many countries have become unable to import foods from greater distance/mainly developing countries because of the transportation problem due to fear of corona. The concept of food self-sufficiency is important because it has direct implications for a country’s ability to independently meet the dietary needs of its population regardless of external circumstances. With large obstacles in the way of international trade, food self sufficiency can be the best solution in it.
There are important aspects to consider with regard to international trade. To limit the spread of corona virus, government has taken measures to restrict the flows of goods, capital and labor. As of now, the effects are mostly visible in the early parts of the supply chain. The shipping industry, career of 80% of world trade by volume has been harmed by the pandemic outbreak. Traveling has been restricted to multiple parts of the world and considering the rate at which extreme precautions are being taken, further quarantining of goods and people should be mandatory. Due to lengthier process at borders as well as in the food industries problems are arising to slowing down the import.
In the harsh situation of global pandemic, it is very likely to face the problem of food crisis in near future, and some of the countries have been dealing with it already. Also, Nepal has faced blockade several times from neighbouring country. So, it is very necessary to take action to strengthen national and regional food self-sufficiency all around the world.
Nepal, being an agricultural country, around 60% of people have been engaged in this sector. It has diversified type of climate and topography where we can solely rely on to produce crops all we need. We can practice farming technique like permaculture where we can sustain with our self grown products. Integrating livestock, poultry, honey bees with crops can be beneficial and meet the demand of food products with good nutrients. We can be self-reliant on cereals like rice, maize, millet, barley, seasonal vegetables and site specific fruits which we need on daily basis. Most of the farmers are using local variety of seeds since ages, so we can give continuity in using of local seeds.
Also, we don’t have to be solely dependent upon chemical fertilizers, as we can have livestock manure and compost as a source of soil nutrients. We can improve the production of crops and be self dependent by mechanization, using suitable irrigation system (drip irrigation), vertical farming, farming on barren land, following mixed cropping pattern for multiple produce, etc. Preserving foods like cereals, pulses, vegetables by increasing their self life can be the best option for consumption during off-season. After harvesting, they can be stored either in cold storage or in sack in moisture proof room (eg. pulses can be stored in sack by mixing it in neem leaf flour to prevent from insects, mustard leaves can be dried and make “gundruk” using for long term purpose, radish can be dried by cutting into pieces and can be consumed during off-season, cucumber, radish, hog plum(lapsi) can be preserved for longer time by making pickle) to prevent from food crisis during off-season.
Forest of Nepal, where more than around 3000 types of medicinal herbs are present, this can be used in preventing and treating most of the diseases if we use them correctly. Some of the medicinal herbs as immunity booster like Gurjo, some with higher nutrition value like asparagus, mushroom, fiddlehead fern (niuro) and some like Tulsi, Turmeric, Ginger, Bojho can be used in treating cold, cough and respiratory problems can be grown on own farm land or kitchen garden or rooftop.
We have diversified locally available fruits and vegetables and have potential to grow them to meet the demand, that can be sufficient to be food secure.
Because of this lockdown during covid-19 pandemic, it has created so much negative impact on import of food to meet the existing demand. Food self-sufficiency is very much crucial to fulfill the needs of food for people during this phase .
So, we can take this as an opportunity to increase the production potential and meet the food demand by following suitable farming techniques, mobilizing youths and locally available resources leading the country to be food- self sufficient.
(Author is Bsc Agriculture student at IAAS, TU)
