Chief Minister Paudel appreciated FIAN Nepal’s work

Nepal has been considered as a disaster-prone country and had witnessed two major earthquakes in 2015. Ensuring tenure rights for the right to food is very crucial. It is even important in the context of natural disaster and post-earthquake situation for the resilient livelihood of vulnerable and marginalized communities. Even after two and a half year of the earthquakes, the reconstruction and rehabilitation processes are not up to the mark for the affected communities.

Voluntary Guideline on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Forest and Fisheries in the context of National Food Security (VGGT) aims to establish the tenure rights of the affected people and community. FIAN Nepal has been engaged on the orientation of VGGT at the grassroots level. Series of orientation programs have been implemented since 2015. This year, the program has focused on the post-earthquake situation of tenure and improved livelihood. Nepal Government has declared 14 districts as severely earthquake-affected districts. Comprising 5 districts (i.e. Gorkha, Dhading, Makwanpur, Nuwakot and Rasuwa) at one cluster, an orientation program of VGGT in the context of natural disaster has been implemented where, the representatives of local government, earthquake-affected community, CSO, political parties and Officials of National Reconstruction Authority were the participants where they identified the gaps and challenges of the reconstruction process after the earthquake.

This program has not only been able to sensitize the local government and NRA Officials on the importance of ensuring tenure rights and sustainable livelihood in the context of natural disaster, but also draw the attention of Provincial Government. Chief Minister Mr Dor Mani Paudel, Internal Affairs and Law Minister Mr Shalikram Jammarkattel and other members of Provincial Assembly of Province 3 were also attended the program for short time where the Chief Minister and newly appointed minister were felicitated by FIAN Nepal. This event has been an opportunity to introduce FIAN Nepal and its work in front of the new government of Province 3, and initiatives of establishing linkage and relation with the federal policymakers.

Chief Minister Mr Paudel received a letter of a memorandum from the participants of the orientation program and urged to ensure the tenure rights of earthquake affected people along with livelihood opportunities. He said that Province 3 is the most affected by earthquake and capacity strengthening of the affected people as well as supporting organizations and duty bearer is very important. He further said the work FIAN Nepal is doing is very appreciable in this context. The federal system has delegated power to the local level to make decisions. Hence the local governments need such orientation programs and increased sensitization for the well being of the people.

Chairperson of FIAN Nepal Mr. Amar Bahadur Air said that unless people are able to produce by themselves, consume and distribute food for their livelihood with enabling environment, they cannot enjoy other services/benefits/facilities provided by the state. After entering into the republican federal structure, now priority of all concerned stakeholders shall be focused on economic and social transformation. The struggle against poverty and hunger.

The two-day orientation program on VGGT in the context of natural disaster has been supported by FAO and jointly delivered by FIAN Nepal and National Reconstruction Authority. This program will be implemented in 3 clusters of severely earthquake-affected districts.