Importance of food self-sufficiency in relation to havoc of CORONA in Nepal.
Food self-sufficiency is defined as being able to meet consumption needs (particularly for staple food crops) from own production rather than by buying or importing. In present condition, the pandemic of COVID-19 have threatened the whole people of the world. Millions of people suffering from the COVID-19 and thousands of people are died due to this disease. People are restricted to meet other people and to make crowd. People are stayed at home and they can’t do their jobs. All industries, offices, shops, schools and transportations have been closed. All the people are staying at home and obeying lockdown. Due to this pandemic economy of all countries are falling down.
Many countries have to face economic loss as well as manpower loss. Our country Nepal, is also facing this problem. All transportation facilities have been closed. All factories, industries, shops, offices and schools are closed. Nepal is dependent on it’s neighbor countries (mainly on India and China) for agricultural products and other fundamental things. Yearly we import food of millions rupees. During this pandemic, our country can’t get such things from other countries because there can be also food crisis. If this pandemic can’t control for a long time we have to food insecurity. About 60.5% of total population of Nepal are engaged in agriculture. But total food production of the country can’t meet total food demand of the population. Our country spent millions of money to import food.
To protect our country from food insecurity and famine we should become food self-sufficiency. We have to increase our total food production and should protect our food crops from crop pest, insect and disease. To increase total food production we can increase crop production area. Many people are migrated from hills to terai and village to city. So that cultivatable land is left bare and useless. We should plant suitable crops in bare lands. We should utilize our free times in growing crops and vegetables. By increasing productivity of land we can increase total production of the food.
To increase productivity we should use high yielding improve varieties seeds. Increase use of fertilizers and manure, protect our crop from insect, pest and diseases. Proper crop management practices should be practiced such as scheduled irrigation, weeding and hoeing should be practiced. After harvesting, we should protect our products from decaying and insect damage. So the suitable post-harvest practices should be practiced.
Self-sufficiency of food is very important during this havoc of COVID-19. Due to this pandemic, whole world is suffering. The people can’t do works and their daily activities. The economy of all countries are highly affected. In this situation we can’t get help from other countries. So that during this pandemic we should become self-reliance for food. We should grow enough foods to avoid food insecurity.
