KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has stated that Nepal has constitutionally guaranteed its citizens the right to food.

Addressing a special ministerial session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held in Rome, Italy, Minister Deuba emphasized that Nepal’s Constitution enshrines the right to food as a fundamental right.

Speaking at today’s session under the ongoing 44th special session of the FAO, which focused on food rights and nutrition in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), she said, “Nepal recognizes food rights as fundamental rights, supported by additional legal frameworks for their implementation and realization.”

“Furthermore, the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Food System Transformation further supports citizens’ food rights,” she added.

Minister Rana highlighted that food safety and quality have been ensured through regulatory standards, laboratory surveillance, and consumer protection under the National Policy on Food Safety and Quality Control.

She added, “A separate consumer court has been established to safeguard consumer rights, helping protect public health and access to nutritious food as a natural right.”

Minister Rana also noted significant progress Nepal has made in child health and nutrition over the past two decades.

Stunting in children has declined from 57% to 25%, underweight children from 42% to 24%, and child wasting from 15% to 8%.

She further stated that Nepal’s ranking in the Global Hunger Index has improved.