Highlights
On 22 March 22, the Norwegian State Secretary, Tone Skogen, together with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited the Humanitarian Staging Area, highlighting the importance of disaster preparedness.
The Implementation Strategy for Emergency Logistics Preparedness in Nepal document is in its final stages of completion.
Operational Updates
In March, WFP supported the Ministry of Agricultural Development to hold 74 district food security network meetings across the country as part of the Nepal Food Security Monitoring System (NeKSAP). Based on the output of these meetings, a new integrated food security phase classification (IPC-acute) map will be produced and disseminated in April.
WFP continues its focus on creating access in rural Nepal to support food security and resilience. Under the Quick Win Trail Project, funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), assessments by engineers have been completed for 40 km of trails in Sindhupalchok, with a further 1180 km left to be assessed.
For SCOPE, WFP’s digital beneficiary and transfer management platform, data base creation has been completed for recipients and WFP is in the process, together with Nepal Investment Bank Limited, of creating bank accounts for cash distribution through the platform.
A field level agreement (FLA) was signed between WFP and Support to Poor Producers in Nepal (SAPPROS), Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and the Lutheran World Foundation (LWF) for Nuwakot, Dhading and Gorkha, respectively.
Under the Saemaul Zero Hunger Communities Project (SZHCP) funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), infrastructure designs and estimates have been completed, and construction has commenced in 7 village development communities.
WFP Nepal and the Nutrition Section of the Child Health Division (CHD), Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) and Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) held key meetings in the last month for a major rice fortification initiative for Nepal. A high level Advisory Committee meeting for rice fortification is due to be held in April 2017.
For the school infrastructure and development programme, under the Country Programme, the construction of infrastructure for 40 schools in the far western region has reached the second phase of the Best and Final Offer (BaFO) stage.