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Right to Food Assessment in Bhutan: Looking at Policies, Legal Framework and Institutions

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Right to Food Assessment in Bhutan: Looking at Policies, Legal Framework and Institutions Fighting Hunger: The Right to Food Way1 Right to Food Assessment in Bhutan: Looking at policies, legal framework and institutions Sonam Tobgay Frank Mischler Katia Covarrubias Alberto Zezza 1 The views expressed in this paper are strictly personal and in no way represent the views of the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The authors wish to express deep gratitude to Marco Knowles and Dr. Kinlay Dorjee for their valuable comments, feedbacks and guidance. Many thanks to Ms. Federica Di Marcantonio for her © Photo by Manfred U. / Flickr CC U. Manfred by © Photo excellent research assistance. Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................................... I LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................... IV GLOSSARY OF TERMS ........................................................................................................................................... VI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................... 1 I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 COUNTRY BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................ 6 1.2 GOVERNANCE AND POLITICAL SCENARIO ....................................................................................................... 7 1.3 ECONOMY ............................................................................................................................................... 8 II. STUDY OBJECTIVES AND RATIONALE ........................................................................................................... 9 2.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE .................................................................................................................................. 9 2.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................ 10 2.3 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................................................ 10 III. OVERVIEW OF THE RIGHT TO FOOD ........................................................................................................... 11 3.1 DEFINITION , CONTENTS AND OBLIGATIONS .................................................................................................. 11 IV. ANALYSIS ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY SUB-PROFILES ..................................................................... 13 4.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2. FOOD SECURITY ANALYSIS : INDICATORS AND LIMITATIONS ..................................................................................... 14 4.2.1 Limitations ..................................................................................................................................... 14 4.2.2 Indicators ....................................................................................................................................... 16 4.3 DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................. 18 4.3.1 Caloric Intake ................................................................................................................................. 18 4.3.2 Undernourishment ........................................................................................................................ 20 4.3.3 Stability of access to food .............................................................................................................. 22 4.3.4 Dietary diversity ............................................................................................................................ 24 4.3.5 Synthesis of Food Security Indicators ............................................................................................ 29 4.4 PROFILING THE FOOD INSECURE ................................................................................................................. 29 4.4.1 MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................................... 29 4.4.2 AN ASSET -BASED TYPOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 35 4.5 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 44 4.5.1 Brief summary and policy remarks ................................................................................................ 44 4.5.2 Opportunities for further work: Analysis and data collection ....................................................... 47 V. RIGHT TO FOOD ASSESSMENT IN BHUTAN ................................................................................................ 49 5.1 ENABLING LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................... 49 5.1.1 International obligations ............................................................................................................... 50 5.1.2 National obligations ...................................................................................................................... 50 5.1.2a Constitution of Bhutan ............................................................................................................. 50 5.1.2b Food Act of Bhutan 2005 .......................................................................................................... 51 5.1.2c Civil Society Act of Bhutan 2007 ............................................................................................... 51 5.1.2d Anti-Corruption Act of Bhutan 2006 ......................................................................................... 51 5.1.2e Local Governments’ Act of Bhutan, 2007 ................................................................................. 52 5.1.2f Geog Yargey Tshogchung Chhatrim, 2002 .................................................................................... 53 5.1.2g Dzongkha Yargey Tshongchung Chhatrim, 2002 ...................................................................... 53 5.1.3 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 53 5.2 ENABLING POLICY FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................. 54 5.2.1 Tenth Five Year Plan (2008-2013) ................................................................................................. 55 5.2.2 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) ..................................................................................... 57 5.2.3 Agriculture and Food Security Policy ............................................................................................. 57 5.2.4 Policies related to Land Resources ................................................................................................ 59 5.2.5 Rural Infrastructure Development Policy ...................................................................................... 61 5.2.6 Bhutan Water Policy ...................................................................................................................... 61 i 5.2.7 Programmes ....................................................................................................................................... 63 5.2.7a School Feeding Programs ......................................................................................................... 63 5.2.7b Food and Nutrition Programme ............................................................................................... 64 5.2.8 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 65 5.3 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND SOCIAL INCLUSION .................................................................................... 65 5.3.1 Dzongkha Yargey Tshogdu (DYT) and Geog Yargey Tshogdu (GYT) .............................................. 66 5.3.2 Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC) ............................................................................ 68 5.3.3 Government Ministries .................................................................................................................. 69 5.3.4 Food Corporation of Bhutan (FCB) ................................................................................................ 70 5.3.5 National Disaster Management Committee ................................................................................. 71 5.3.6 National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC) ............................................................... 72 5.3.7 The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) ........................................................................................
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