The goal of the Food Security Atlas is to provide clear, current
information
on the geographical distribution food security and nutrition among the
people and regions of Bhutan.
(Download Full Size
Map)
The Online Food Security Atlas of Bhutan provides a comprehensive
overview of poverty reduction work in Bhutan. Bhutan fully subscribes
to the Millennium Development Goals and they are in line with the
country’s national development priorities, including the overarching
goal of Gross National Happiness. With poverty reduction as the main
theme of Tenth Plan (2008-2013), the MDGs are integrated into the
national development planning process.
WFP Country Office: Thimphu
WFP Operations in 2009
WFP beneficiaries: 36 500
School Feeding – 36 500 children
FACTS AND FIGURES
Population: 670,000 (2008 est.)
Children Under 5 – 13.5%
Human Development Index Rank: 131
Per Capita GDP (PPP$): 1,400 (2006)
Adult Literacy: 56%
Net Primary School Enrollment: 88% (2008)
Children Under 5 Suffering From:
Underweight – 11.1%
Stunting – 37%
Wasting – 4.6%
HIV/Aids: Est. no. of infected people –
200
Adult HIV prevalence rate <0.1 %
This atlas also highlights the key features of the economy in Bhutan,
acknowledging the country’s high dependency on renewable natural
resources to eliminate extreme poverty and the pursuit of the unique
development philosophy: Gross National Happiness (GNH). The
philosophy, which is underlined by four pillars (equitable
socio-economic development, conservation of environment, preservation
of culture, and promotion of good governance) pursues broad forms of
well being that extend beyond the material.
The atlas highlights the availability, access, utilization - household
concerns with direct implications for food security; the atlas also
covers other related factors such as basic health care, primary school
education, water supply and sanitation.
As a first of its kind on Bhutan, we hope that this atlas will provide
useful analysis for planning, preparation, and implementation and
maximizes the efficiency with which we work. The atlas content will be
updated continuously upon the availability of new reports and
studies.
OVERVIEW
Bhutan is a least developed country where a majority of the
population lives in rural mountain communities. Many in these
communities live off what they can grow in the harsh mountain climate.
About one-fourth of the population is considered poor, especially in
remote villages. The primary challenge is access to services; road
blocks are frequent during the monsoon and high passes may remain
closed during the winter months.
For over thirty years, WFP has been working to improve the lives of
people in Bhutan, providing food to school-going children, road
workers, infants, pregnant and lactating women, hospital in-patients
and rural communities. Besides school feeding, activities have included
support through food-for-work programmes for the construction of roads
and suspension bridges, and for health, forestry, irrigation and dairy
development projects.
WFP’s goal is to halve poverty in Bhutan by increasing the
percentage of the rural poor who receive education up to grade 8, by
improving school facilities and access to schools.
PROGRAMMES
Improving Rural Children’s Access to Basic Education with a Focus on
Primary Education WFP has embarked on a new initiative to improve the
food-related infrastructure at remote, rural-off-road, schools. These
initiatives will increase access to education and make the school
feeding programme more self-sufficient and sustainable in rural areas.
WFP is also handing over gradually the school feeding assistance, with
the royal government taking over already successfully classes 11 and 12
in 2008 and 9 and 10 in 2009.
Download Bhutan Country Sheet here
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