Nepal becoming food insecure: WFP

Nepal is gradually becoming food insecure as 6.4 million of the country's inhabitants are reeling under soaring food prices and inadequate supplies, according to a new World Food Program (WFP) report.

The Market and Price Impact Assessment Report, prepared by WFP, clearly pointed out that approximately 2.5 million people in rural parts of the country are in immediate need of food assistance and an additional 3.9 million people in rural Nepal are at risk of becoming insecure due to soaring prices of food for last few months.

The report presented at the Round Table Conference on the Food situation and Humanitarianism organized in the capital Monday further said, "These people are highly vulnerable to food price increase and already have a very low level of food intake."

The report noted that prices of cooking oil and coarse rice have soared by 26 percent and 19 percent respectively in the last six months and that of kerosene by 13 percent. It said that transportation costs have galloped by an average of 27 percent over the review period. nepalnews.com ag July 29 08

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