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Abstract
Ensuring adequate access to food to all has remained a major challenge of the 21st century. Many studies have quantified populations vulnerable to food insecurity, mostly at the national level. This study tracks the substantial regional heterogeneity in the food security status within Nepal. Employing FAO’s methodology and National Living Standards Survey data from 1995, 2003 and 2011, this study found that Nepal’s prevalence of undernourishment declined between 1995 and 2003, but increased between 2003 and 2011. The Terai domain – provinces 2 and 5 – and rural regions of all provinces are found to be most vulnerable to food availability and access concerns. Household characteristics such as education, land holdings and occupation are associated with food access. By examining where, how many and who are food-insecure within Nepal, this study has provided a more accurate picture of the prevalence of undernourishment for better targeting assistance to improve the livelihood of its citizens.