NEPAL NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PORTAL

Good nutrition is the cornerstone of national development. It drives economic growth, promotes maternal and child health, empowers women, and ultimately helps eradicate poverty. Recognizing this, the Government of Nepal (GoN) has made nutrition a national priority, enshrining the right to health and the right to food in our Constitution.

Following the recommendations of the 2009 Nutrition Assessment and Gap Analysis, Nepal introduced the Multi-Sector Nutrition Plan (MSNP) in 2013, marking a significant shift towards a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to combating malnutrition. Since then, with the support of sectoral ministries and development partners like the European Union and UNICEF, we have successfully implemented MSNP-I (2013–2017) and MSNP-II (2018–2022). These efforts have yielded remarkable progress—stunting has decreased from 57% in 2001 to 25% in 2022, and underweight prevalence has dropped from 43% to 19% in the same period.

Building on these achievements, we have now launched MSNP-III (2023–2030), developed under the leadership of the National Planning Commission in close collaboration with sectoral ministries and partners. Endorsed by the Cabinet on February 1, 2024, MSNP-III represents more than just continuity—it is a stronger, more focused commitment to addressing Nepal’s evolving nutritional challenges and sustaining the progress we have made.

MSNP-III provides a strategic roadmap to ensure effective coordination, minimize duplication, optimize resource use, and enhance program impact. It calls development partners, private sector actors, and civil society to work together in scaling up nutrition interventions, with a particular focus on women, children, and adolescents. In this regard, I call upon our development partners to increase investment in nutrition and align their efforts with MSNP-III to drive meaningful and lasting change.

In today’s dynamic public health landscape, access to timely, reliable information is critical. Effective knowledge management enables us to identify nutrition challenges, guide resource allocation, inform policy, and stimulate meaningful discussions. However, the lack of a consolidated, accessible platform has often hindered these efforts.

To address this, the GoN, through MSNP-III, is strengthening the Nepal Nutrition and Food Security Portal (NNFSP)—a digital knowledge-sharing platform that ensures stakeholders have real-time access to nutrition-related information. This portal will serve as a comprehensive repository for:

• National nutrition policies and plans
• Research and resource materials
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and process documentation
• Lessons learned and best practices
• News, events, and press releases related to MSNP

With contributions from research institutions the National Health Research Council, and the National Agricultural Research Council, sectoral ministries , development partners, academia and other relevant stakeholders,  NNFSP will enhance knowledge sharing, foster partnerships, and support evidence-based policymaking. It will also serve as a key platform for publishing progress reports, evaluations, surveys, and scientific articles, ensuring that federal, provincial, and local stakeholders have access to updated national nutrition data.

As Nepal’s Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Country Focal Point, I firmly believe that the NNFSP will be instrumental in strengthening the linkages between researchers and decision-makers in the nutrition sector. It will drive collaboration, enable informed policymaking, and support Nepal’s vision for a healthier, well-nourished future.

I urge all stakeholders to actively engage with and contribute to this platform. Together, let us harness knowledge, strengthen coordination, and ensure nutrition for all.

Thank you.