WFP commits support for zero hunger in Bhutan

In a final annual work plan review with the Government, WFP maintained its commitments towards zero hunger and aligned these with the Prime Minister’s four priority activities for the COVID-19 response (employment generation, increased production, import substitution and export promotion).

During the discussion with the Government on annual work plans, WFP committed to supporting agriculture production of nutritious crops including winter vegetables, to facilitating post-harvest management research and equipment, as well as supporting food processing and value addition. These will build towards achieving self-sufficiency and import substitution.

WFP also agreed to focus on facilitating linking of farmers and farmer groups to markets (schools, institutions, local and national markets). WFP will also provide value chain support to link agricultural primary production to agribusinesses (storing, processing, and marketing) that are aligned to employment generation, import substitution, and export promotion.

Together with the Department of Disaster Management, WFP will be conducting a three-day dissemination workshop of the findings of the earthquake impact assessment conducted in 2019. The workshop will focus on the earthquake impact and impact analysis tools for Bhutan and share the key findings. Based on the findings the key disaster risk management sectors will kick-off sectoral earthquake preparedness action plans which will be tested through a functional simulation.Recognizing the urgent needs in storage systems for food and emergency supplies, WFP is handing over to the Department of Disaster Management, a container and five mobile storage units, which have now arrived and will be used for storage of food, agricultural produce or act as multi-purpose halls. This comes after WFP’s handover of three mobile storage units in March 2020.’