Kathmandu, February 19
The Japanese government has agreed to extend grant assistance of Japanese Yen 364 million (about US$3.47 million / Rs 405 million) to the United Nations World Food Programme (UN WFP) Nepal for implementing the Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Programme in five vulnerable districts of provinces 1 and 2.
Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Saigo Masamichi, and WFP Country Director Susan Jane Pearce signed a grant contract in Kathmandu on Friday.
At the signing ceremony, the ambassador hoped the grant would improve the health and nutrition of children and young mothers in Jhapa, Morang, and Sunsari districts of Province 1, and Saptari and Siraha districts of Province 2, which are prone to extreme weather events and other climate change-linked disasters.
“This partnership between the Japanese Government, the Government of Nepal, and WFP has the potential to improve the health and nutrition of 19,000 children aged six to 23 months and 49,700 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers through specialised nutritious food, while 25,000 households will benefit from the establishment of community food banks equipped with food storage facilities,” he said.
Likewise, Pearce thanked the government of Japan for the support.
“By supporting the production and consumption of locally available and traditionally consumed nutritious food and through shock-responsive community food banks, we hope that this project will increase dietary diversity among the poor and food-insecure households and build community resilience to climatic shocks,” she added.
