INSEC has called for prior testing of food distributed under the World Food Programme, stating that it draws attention to the incident of food grains distributed at the mid-day meal program of schools in Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces under the World Food Programme were found to be of poor quality.
Chairman of INSEC Dr. Kundan Aryal, in a statement issued on 5 March, demanded that prior tests of the food distributed by the World Food Programme be mandatory.
“The incident of procuring 54 thousand kilos of wet, milled, and rotten rice grains, to distribute in Nepal is a violation of the right of the Nepali people to healthy food and is against the best interests of children.,” the statement said.
The World Food Programme has been distributing food grains for work in remote areas of Nepal for 45 years under programs such as mid-day meals.
In May, June, and July 2009, after more than 300 people died due to diarrhea in hilly districts including Jajarkot, the consumption of distribution of food was found to be one of the reasons in a study conducted by INSEC.
The study report published by INSEC on 15 August 2009, states that the substandard food distributed under World Food Programme in the hilly region could be one of the causes of diarrhea. The report also included the distribution and consumption of inedible food, along with the distribution of expired water purifiers. It also includes the information that the Food Technology and Quality Control Department determined that the rice distributed in Jajarkot was unfit for consumption based on the samples collected.
INSEC alleges that the Nepal government and the United Nations neglected the request to investigate the case and take action against the culprits.
“We demand that the World Food Programme make mandatory the testing of all types of food supplied to Nepal and ensure the constitutional right of the Nepali people to food. In addition, we request the government of Nepal investigate the incident of inedible food distributed to children and take legal action against the culprits involved in that act.”, the statement emphasizes.