US gives $15 million to Nepal for global food crisis

KATHMANDU: As part of the recently announced $2.76 billion in US government funding to address the global food crisis, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide $15 million to Nepal to protect vulnerable populations from the escalating global crisis worsened by Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine.

President Joe Biden pledged these additional US government food security resources during the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Germany, which represents more than half of the resources that G7 leaders committed to address global food security at the Summit.

In Nepal, the supplemental funding will help ensure that people affected by rising prices and food shortages have enough to eat. Activities include supporting small farms to produce more food locally and households in need of food assistance These funds will also support nutrition-enhanced food for children under the age of five and pregnant women.

Acting USAID/Nepal Mission Director Beth Hogan noted that, “With yields for rice, maize, and other important crops potentially falling due to the impending fertilizer shortage, this support will have broad implications for Nepal’s agriculture sector and its farmers.” She went on to say, “This additional funding will primarily help Nepal produce more food to consume and sell, thereby increasing household food security and incomes.

These impacts will be especially helpful among women, youth, and marginalized groups who have limited access to information, inputs, technology, and services.”

USAID will be working closely with the Government of Nepal to invest these additional resources strategically so that they align with Nepal’s ongoing effort to combat food insecurity and meet the goal of sustainably reducing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. This continues 75 years of the Nepal-United States partnership and our ongoing health and food security assistance programs.

The United States has provided nearly $7.6 billion in assistance to respond to the global food security crisis since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022.