THIMPHU: The World Food Programme (WFP) will invest US$14.6 million in Bhutan between 2024 to 2028 to address malnutrition, gender barriers and the challenges of building sustainable food systems.
The investment is part of the Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2024–2028. The plan aims to achieve two key outcomes by 2030, which are establishing climate-resilient livelihoods to enhance food security and nutrition, and strengthening human capital to create a food system resilient to climate crises and shocks.
The total budget of US$14.6 million includes US$8.73 million for the first outcome, focussed on building climate-resilient livelihoods, and US$5.87 million for the second outcome, aimed at enhancing human capital and developing a robust food system for farmers.
The CSP is guided by Bhutan’s 13th Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2024–2028.
The Country Director and Representative of WFP Bhutan, Peter Rodrigues, said that within the first year of the plan’s implementation, “WFP Bhutan started implementing strategic measures focused on building a resilient food system, expanding into social protection programmes through initiatives such as school feeding.”
He added, “Increased effort and support are being provided to strengthen emergency preparedness and response systems in Bhutan.”
According to the CSP, the WFP has investment costs of US$4.32 million in 2024 and US$3.28 million in 2025.
Key steps under the plan focus on strengthening national and district-level capacities, catalysing long-term investments in food systems, and linking schools with smallholder farmers.
“WFP works closely with the government, national institutions, and local governments to provide technical assistance and strengthen farmer-based organisations,” he said. “The initiative supports farmers, women, and youth groups to engage in and contribute to the development of a resilient and inclusive agricultural system.”
Technical assistance and investment are being provided to help agencies and farmers manage climate shocks and produce nutritious food. Support and training services are also being provided to identify high-value commodities, helping smallholder farmers diversify and move towards commercial production.
In addition, Peter Rodrigues said that strategic investment plans have been developed for the spice sector in Zhemgang, poultry farming in Tsirang, and the dairy sector in Zhemgang. These interventions are expected to bring together smallholder farmer groups and cooperatives to enhance value addition and market access.
According to WFP, the spice, poultry, and dairy sectors are crucial for improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. The interventions are expected to increase resilient commercial agricultural production and improve food and nutrition security in the four target dzongkhags.
“Support to strengthen agricultural value chains is underway by linking farmers to cooperatives, social protection systems, and government-led programmes such as school feeding and local markets,” Peter Rodrigues said.
WFP has continued to strengthen the National School Feeding and Nutrition Programme by providing technical support to the government and relevant stakeholders.
Moreover, WFP supported the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to expand the rollout of the School Menu Planner PLUS (SMP PLUS) in new districts. The tool helps develop balanced and cost-effective school menus while promoting locally produced agricultural commodities.
In collaboration with the Tarayana Foundation, WFP is developing model nutrition gardens in four districts. The model gardens encourage commercial farming and help farmers diversify their diets while improving market access.
A Training of Trainers Manual on Nutrition Education was developed to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture among smallholder farmers. The manual is designed to help Bhutan tackle its growing malnutrition challenges.
The programmes also aim to support the government and partners in developing food systems resilient to climate change and disasters, while creating opportunities for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Peter Rodrigues also said that the WFP has prioritised emergency preparedness and response to improve Bhutan’s ability to manage disasters and climate shocks.
Collaboration with the Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management, De-suung, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the Disaster Communications Helpline Unit has been strengthened.
“Technical support has been provided to enhance risk analysis and early warning systems,” Peter Rodrigues said. “WFP also continues to improve Bhutan’s supply chain management, data systems, and stakeholder coordination for emergency response.”
WFP Bhutan developed 13 emergency logistics manuals for government agencies in 2024.
More than 20 government officers were introduced to the “Platform for Real-Impact and Situation Monitoring (PRISM),” a dashboard used for climate risk and impact analysis. Various capacity-building initiatives were also conducted for relevant stakeholders.
Women and youth
Under the first outcome of the CSP, WFP has made significant progress in supporting women, youth and persons with disabilities.
“Women smallholder farmers, young people and persons with disabilities are given strategic importance in our work to strengthen food systems and emergency preparedness,” Peter Rodrigues said.
In 2024, more than 5,000 farmers benefited from WFP’s technical assistance, including an all-women green tea group in Samcholing, Trongsa.
In Sarpang, Trongsa, Zhemgang, and Tsirang, technical assistance programmes targeting 47,000 smallholder farmers, 60 per cent of whom are women and 30 per cent youth, are being implemented to build inclusive and resilient agricultural systems.
Important milestones include resilience plans, training in climate-smart agriculture, financial literacy, market access improvements and the promotion of nutrition-sensitive farming practices.
Peter Rodrigues said that while the 2030 goals are ambitious, WFP Bhutan believes they are achievable through close collaboration with the government and partners.
“WFP works with key national counterparts to strengthen the implementation of food and nutrition policies, and to expand nutrition-sensitive and climate-resilient social protection programmes,” he added.
Farmers are being connected with schools and hospitals, giving them reliable market access and encouraging them to produce sufficient vegetables for domestic consumption.
More than 1,200 stakeholders and 200 officials have received training in nutrition, school feeding, and emergency preparedness. WFP’s approach also integrates nutrition-sensitive strategies into social protection programmes to improve diets and reduce malnutrition.
Peter Rodrigues said that climate-smart farming, better market access and stronger disaster response systems are critical to building a sustainable food system and reducing Bhutan’s reliance on imports.
National priorities
The CSP is aligned with Bhutan’s Renewable Natural Resources Strategy 2030, the National Nutrition Strategy and Action Plan 2021–2025, the National Adaptation Plan 2022, and the Disaster Management Act 2013.
Gender equality and social inclusion are guided by the Gender Equality Policy 2020 and the Disability Policy 2019, with a focus on rural women’s economic empowerment, inclusion of persons with disabilities and creation of employment opportunities for youth.
Through these concerted efforts, WFP Bhutan aims to help the country transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture, strengthen food systems, and ensure that no one is left behind in Bhutan’s journey toward achieving Zero Hunger by 2030.
Tracking
Monitoring and evaluation of the CSP are conducted through standard systems that allow real-time tracking of project implementation. Regular field monitoring visits ensure that activities remain on schedule.
WFP works closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to align its monitoring and evaluation with national and donor standards. Mid-term and end-of-project reviews will assess impact, sustainability, efficiency, and inclusiveness across agriculture, climate resilience, nutrition and gender equity.
Bhutan’s ranking in the Global Gender Gap Index improved from 126 in 2022 to 103 in 2023, showing progress in gender-related outcomes.
However, challenges remain. Agriculture continues to operate at a subsistence level, characterised by low productivity, high post-harvest losses, and limited farmer earnings. The sector is largely driven by senior citizens, as rural outmigration of youth continues.
Climate change, natural hazards, and market challenges have deepened inequalities, limiting Bhutan’s progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
According to WFP’s 2023 Annual Country Report, 12.4 per cent of the population lives in poverty, and 27 per cent of households cannot afford a nutritious diet. Smallholder farmers make up 56 per cent of the population, with 65 per cent of them being women.
The report highlights that the labour force participation rate for women is only 40.6 per cent compared to 73.1 per cent for men, and that about 49.4 per cent of women are engaged in unpaid, informal work in family agriculture, compared with 25.9 per cent of men.
A nutritious diet in Bhutan costs 4.4 times more than a basic energy diet, making it unaffordable for many households. Stunting affects 21 per cent of children under five, while more than 33 per cent of women and 31.7 per cent of men are overweight.
Outmigration of men and young people has increased the labour burden on women and elderly farmers. Limited access to finance, storage, and transport has left many smallholders unable to access profitable markets.
As a result, Bhutan relies on imports for more than 50 per cent of its food, leaving it vulnerable to global supply disruptions and price volatility. - Kuensel/ANN
