Being
secured in food is mankind’s primal wish and it is the foundation for all other
quests. The sovereign dignity of a nation can only be safeguarded when the
nation is ever prepared to face food security challenges posed by the extremes
of natural calamities and pandemics caused by changing climate and environmental
impact. Food self-sufficiency and food security should no longer be overlooked
while experiencing brisk moments of economic and social progress and
development. Complacency must not creep in on food self-sufficiency which
anytime could be irredeemable mistake as climate change is real which may
impact food surplus countries bringing food export at halt.
Countries
across the world have been experiencing the extremes of climate change and it
will only be a tribute to our national will to demonstrate readiness to face
the challenges of food security at all times to come.
The
time is up for us to understand agriculture in 21st countries with
right perspective and accept the multi-dimensional challenges with respect. A
fact what is not easily understood yet is the farm productivity which does not
simply means technology and increasing farm labour productivity which goes far
beyond the boundary of the farm. At the end of the day if a farmer is not
earning as much as, if not more, than a skilled professional, the food supply
chain remains weak, impoverished and vulnerable. This must be the conceptual
cornerstone to begin with much needed reform in agriculture development for food
self-sufficiency overriding the notion on having food security with imported
food supported by other economic adventures and natural resources.
The
majority of the Bhutanese people live on agriculture where most of the active
labour force is engaged and it only sounds absurd to say we have farm labour
shortage not understanding what we are required to do is to enhance labour
productivity. Because most people’s livelihood is based on agriculture, it is
imperative to have higher productivity and progressively higher investment not
only at farm level but beyond developing two sets of value chains in parallel,
one for fresh produce including fruits and vegetables and others of similar
nature, and the other one for cereal food grains.
For
fresh produce a network of pack houses should be linking farms to the cold
chains delivering the products to the market in a sustained manner and for food
grains there must be purchasing centers in every appropriate location where farmers
of the vicinity even of distant locations having smallest unit of surplus grains
can sell and these centers should be feeding to a network of warehouse having
milling and packaging facilities. For all these infrastructures to realize and
operationalize an apt institution would be a corporate body responsible not
only for buying from the farmers, but also grading, packaging, food processing,
warehousing and supplying to the domestic market and exporting across the
borders to the international markets.
Developing
export infrastructure and upscaling SPS (Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary) standards
are inevitable for export and it lies within the scope of Ministry of
Agriculture but fostering trade relation with countries of interest falls on
the responsibility of Ministry of Economic Affaire and Foreign Affaire who
should leverage and support private sector. The wisdom for rural development in
order to have food self-sufficiency and food security therefore lies in
balancing the investment and development of agriculture sector, trade and industry
including hydropower, mining and tourism.
Farmers
of the day have far more understanding which actually takes off perceived
impediment of rapid adoption and diffusion of new technologies and information among
farmers which we believe exists and continue to engage on. It is therefore not
the farmers but the planners and agriculture extension service providers have
to change the mind set and bring about fundamental institutional reform.
Access
to agricultural inputs and technologies available in the international market
have been ever existing constraints to the Bhutanese farmers. To resolve it
once for all there has always been a quest for policy support replacing the
intermittent and ad hoc support through projects and not reaching to every
farmer across the country on a regular basis. The agriculture input supply policy,
if there is any issued already, must be recast in a manner that right
agricultural inputs and technologies are not only available but accessible on a
regular basis for every farmer on a regular basis contributing to higher
productivity and profitability of farming. On this issue the policy makers must
be certain that any support given to the farmers must not be misled by the
western term ‘subsidy’ which they give most to their farmers but in our case it
should sum up to the nation’s investment for securing food self-sufficiency
contributing to food security of the nation improving the livelihood, living
standard and nutrition security among rural population which construe maximum
of our total population.
Agriculture
development must not start with farmers and end with farmers. Our capacity to
execute international trade on agricultural commodities is essential to increase
and sustain production and we acutely lack export infrastructure and capacity.
To this, reliable long term unconditional trade agreement with friendly
neighboring countries is vital for seamlessly executing free trade across the
borders on mutual interest at a price dictated by market free of export duties.
Discriminatory
agricultural protectionism is a political matter and it should be periodically thrashed
strategically at political level together with multilayered international
understanding and agreements at by-lateral and multilateral levels. This
understanding tells us loudly and succinctly that agriculture means not only
farmers and technologies but also trade and politics.
We
have come a long way engaging with farmers but impetus on food facilities and
infrastructure are yet to be given and commitment for investment strategies has
to be pledged at national level. Knowing the nature of the Bhutanese farms
characterized by slopping terrains, scattered settlement, small land holding
and ever advancing impact of climate change, we must conceive food facilities
that channels every unit of food grains farmers want to sell to the collection
centers and finally to warehouse and the fresh produce to pack houses feeding
to cold chain in compliance to set food standards for domestic market and SPS
standards for international trade which cannot be compromised.
The
recent impacts of climate change and pandemic crumbled the standing global
notion of collective self-reliance and food security. It is therefore time for
us to rethink and redesign our policies and we must do utmost to attain a high
degree of food self-sufficiency at local level within a possible time scale and
it is very much doable for country like ours endowed with varying altitudes,
good soil profiles and plentiful water resources. Clearly the edifice for food
self-sufficiency, self-reliance and food security must be a sovereign policy
while ecological interdependence remains a global issue.
With
our own effort, though the tendency to look at international bodies and
financing institutions remains, now is the time to take the food
self-sufficiency to the higher rung of the GNH ladder. Technology is certainly
inevitable but it is not the total answer nor will it bring about much needed
change in the institutions. It is not only desirable but inevitable that we
commit to tackle food self-sufficiency through conscious policy and institutional
reform. An effective food self-sufficiency policy must eliminate the
institutional whims and wasteful endeavors and investments.
Around
almost eighty years ago in 1945, the UN organization FAO was founded with the
vision that food security and development, one without the other cannot happen,
and hence the objectives of FAO were set to support governments to design right
policies and programs to promote food security and nutrition, and sustainable
agriculture leading to economic and social progress with increasing
productivity at a scale of economics and living standards.
While
the set goals of the FAO still valid which took us this far until the impact of
climate change became a harsh reality and the pandemic hit so hard that the
very idea of global interdependence on food is shattered. In the middle of
pandemic, which is still around the corner, governments were called on for food
production at local level and have food self-sufficiency at local level. It
implies that food deficit countries must take up food self-sufficiency and food
security with highest concern to an extent of having a well-articulated
agriculture law, which country like Japan had enacted way back in 1961 to
ensure farmers of the country feeds the nations with dignity with assured
minimum standard of living. For Bhutan it is time now to have a discrete domain
of GNH transcending three existing domains of community vitality, ecological
diversity and resilience, and living standards.
Considering
the backdrop of food self-sufficiency and food security, the following is a
conceived general framework of a Food and Agriculture Act, for the
purpose of thought provoking among interest groups having stake in food
self-sufficiency and food security through food and agriculture development.
“[Article 1. Purpose
The
purpose of this Act is to develop national economy through comprehensive and
systematic policies on food, agriculture and rural economy by establishing
basic investment priorities and services, ensuring self-reliance and resilience
in food, nutrition and environment, and clarifying the responsibilities of the
national and local governments.
This
Act empowers the parliament with greater role in ensuring conditions for food self-sufficiency
and food security and provide support in the events of pandemic and climate
change triggered disasters.
This
Act puts pressure on the Government to weigh in favor of the domestic food
supply chain against the efficiency and cost benefits of a globalized supply
chain.
This
Act shall put in place a robust domestic food supply chain and reduce
dependence on import from the increasingly fractured global supply system.
Article 2. Securing
of Stable Food Supply
(1) In consideration of
the fact
that food is indispensable for healthy and fulfilling
life, a stable supply of high-quality food at reasonable cost shall be secured
at all time.
(2) In
consideration of the fact that the world food
supply and demand and trade have uncertainties, stable food supply shall be secured
by increased domestic
production through improvement in farm productivity, return on investment, competitiveness, provision of market and access to right agricultural
inputs and technologies.
Even in the case when domestic food supply gets stringent
or likely to be so due to poor harvest,
the minimum food supply shall be secured
such that no significant adverse impact is experienced
on the normal life of
citizens and smooth operation of national economy.
Article 3. Fulfillment
of Multifunctional Role
In
consideration of the multiple roles that agriculture
plays and the importance of maintaining stable life of the citizens and
national economy, sufficient food production
in rural areas including conservation
of water resources, natural
environment, and respect
for the cultural tradition
shall be fully fulfilled
for the future.
Article 4. Sustainable Agricultural Development
Considering the importance
of
agriculture as a primary food supplier, sustainable development of profitable agriculture
shall be promoted with development facilities including market chain, export trade, and desirable bureaucratic
and corporate structure reforms.
Sustainability shall be ensured with maximizing the use of
local resources, protection and effective use farmlands, conservation and efficient
use of water and right agronomy.
Article 5. Development
of Rural Areas
Rural areas shall be developed through
agricultural activities by improving agricultural production conditions, market provisions and rural
welfare including living environment.
Article 6. Responsibility of the National Government
The national government shall be responsible for
formulating and
implementing comprehensive policies
for food, agriculture and rural areas which hereinafter referred to as the
"basic principles".
Article 7. Responsibility of Local Governments
The
local governments in pursuant to the basic principles shall share its roles with the national government, for formulating and implementing policies for food, agriculture and rural areas
that suit their natural and
socioeconomic characteristics at the local level.
Article 8. Efforts
of Farmers
Farmers and
farmers’
organizations
benefiting from national support system shall
endeavor
proactively to realize the objectives
of basic principles in operating farming and other relevant activities in
order to realize high return on investment at economic scale.
Article 9. Efforts
of Business
Operators
Business
operators, including public sector corporate body responsible for purchasing,
warehousing, cold chain operation, agro-processing, and export and import shall
endeavor in operating their business, in pursuant to the basic principles, to
secure stable and equitable food supply in the country.
Article 10. Support
Provided to the Efforts of Farmers
In taking measures for food, agriculture and
rural areas, the national and local governments shall aim at providing support to the proactive efforts of farmers, farmers' organizations and
business operators through provision of necessary agricultural inputs
and technologies for the purpose of reducing the cost of production, enhancing
the competitiveness and increasing the return on investment.
Article 11. Consumer's
Role
Consumers shall be encouraged to gain better understanding of food, agriculture
and rural areas and
be positive to the changing climate
and its impact on food production while improving and diversifying their dietary patterns.
Article 12. Legislative
Measures
The
Government shall take legislative, alongside the fiscal and financial measures
required to implement policies concerning food, agriculture and rural areas.
Article 13. Annual
Report
The Government shall
annually submit to the Parliament a
report on Nation of food, agriculture and rural areas and
on the policies being implemented and their impacts, and the policies
intended to be implemented.
Article
14. Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas
The Government shall
establish a basic plan for food, agriculture
and rural areas, hereinafter referred to as the ‘basic plan', for comprehensive
and systematic implementation of
the policies
on food, agriculture and rural areas.
The basic plan shall have
its primary focus on set policies
on food, agriculture and
rural areas aiming to realize target rate of
food
self-sufficiency and food security.
In pursuant to the basic plan the Government shall implement
comprehensively and systematically the interventions of priorities on food, agriculture and rural areas.
The basic plan shall be developed in harmony with the national plan of comprehensive use, development and conservation of land, water resources and biodiversity.
Article 15. Improvement
of Food Consumption Policies
The State shall take necessary measures such as improving food
hygiene and quality management including proper food labeling, in order to secure
food safety, and improve food quality.
The State shall take necessary measures such as developing healthy dietary guidelines for
diversifying food habits by providing relevant
information in order to contribute to the climate resilient agricultural practices
including multiple cropping system and agroforestry.
Article 16. Sound
Development of Food Industry
The
State shall promote sound development
of food industry ensuring effective use
of resources with due
consideration of the adverse effects
of business operation on
environment.
The State shall streamline the delivery of inputs,
technology and services to the farmers considering the role of private sector,
institutional arrangement for buying food grains and fresh produce including
vegetables and fruits produced by the farmers, and develop food chain including,
pack houses, cold stores for fresh produce and warehouses food grains.
Article 17. Measures
for Imports and Export s of Agricultural Products
(1) The State shall take necessary measures such as tariff rate adjustments and
import restrictions when certain imports have or likely to have adverse effect
on the domestic production, and regulate import to let domestic production to meet
the demand.
(2) The State shall
take necessary measures for ensuring competitiveness of
domestic agricultural products and promote export particularly the horticultural products for
which Bhutan has ecological advantage.
Article 18. Food Security in Emergencies
The State shall take necessary measures such as increasing food production and food security stock in order to secure minimum
food stock required by the citizens
in the events of unforeseen emergency situation.
Article 19. Promotion
of International Cooperation
The State shall promote international cooperation in
order to have unrestricted trade relations complying to quality and SPS
standards.
The State shall through bilateral and multilateral cooperations
seek technical and
financial cooperation for the development of agriculture
and rural areas,
and ensure access to agricultural inputs including seeds and fertilizers,
appropriate technologies, capacity development, and exchange of information.
Article 20. Establishment
of Desirable Agriculture
The State shall promote
such agriculture that produce healthy food, keeps environment clean and
guarantee reasonable profit for farmers. Such agriculture policy shall take necessary measures for improvement of farm infrastructure and market chain, ensures enrichment
of natural resources and practice efficient irrigation methods making use of
modern water saving technologies.
Article 21. Engaging Youths in Agriculture
The State shall take necessary
steps to ensure better image of agriculture with opportunities for farming as
business.
The State shall provide opportunities for youths for
having reasonable level of skills in agriculture production and enterprise
operation, and ensures that agriculture remains a profitable job.
Article 22. Securing
of Farmland and Its Effective Use
The State shall take necessary measures for promoting intensive and effective use of the farmland ensuring good soil health and climate resilience enhancing
productivity and profitability of the system.
Article 23. Improvement
of Agricultural Production Base
The State shall take necessary measures and diversify
cropping system with traditional crops,
their varieties and wild relatives alongside the bred varieties and hybrids, improve
soil health and its ability of supply plant nutrients both major and micro-nutrients
in adequate quantity, and promote conservation and efficient use of water in
order to improve and agricultural production
base.
Article 24. Development
and Securing of Human Resources
The State shall take necessary measures to improve technical and management skills of farmers, and encourage those interested in farming to acquire necessary
skills and management knowledge in order to secure professional workforce who play a major role in food self-sufficiency and food security.
The State shall take necessary measures such as the promotion of climate resilient and sustainable agricultural education so as to obtain
better understanding and interest of the citizens in agriculture.
The State shall continuously and consistently provide comprehensive
skills to the youths and farmers on cutting edge agronomy, evolving and
available technologies, trending market for agricultural products, farm
economics and resource management.
Article 25. Promotion
of Women's Participation in Agriculture
The State shall promote the creation of
environment in which women's role in agriculture is fairly assessed and
women are provided with opportunities
to participate in all farming activities as
equal members of the society and other relevant activities.
Article 26. Promotion
of Activities of
Agricultural Production Organizations
The State shall take necessary measures for promoting agricultural activities by cooperative organizations based in rural areas and organizations which operate
contract farming, in order to
realize efficient agricultural production.
Article 27. Development
and Dissemination of Technology
The State shall take necessary measures such as significant
investment on agricultural research with specific objectives and development of technology, encouraging closer cooperation
among research centers, national university
and international agricultural research and development organizations.
The State shall promote
dissemination of agricultural technologies that suit the agricultural
characteristics for crop and
livestock production satisfying the market demand and resource management.
Article 28. Pricing of Agricultural Products and Stabilization of domestic
food production
The State shall take necessary measures for allowing the
prices of agricultural
products be set appropriately reflecting supply and demand situation and
quality standards, in order to promote domestic production that guarantees farmers
to earn reasonable profit that encourages youths to take up agriculture as
their profession.
The State shall take necessary measures for mitigating adverse
effects
of significant price changes of agricultural products as a result of unrestricted import and
good harvest.
Article 29. Agricultural
Disaster Compensation
The State shall
take necessary measures such as reasonable compensation for
disaster losses in order to
help farmers to reinvest and stabilize farm production.
Article 30. Maintenance and Promotion of the Cyclical Function of Nature
The State shall take necessary measures such as securing the proper use
of
pesticides and fertilizers, and improving soil
fertility through effective use of manure,
in order to produce residue free healthy food and keep environment
clean.
Article 31. Rationalization of Price and Distribution of
Agricultural Inputs
The
State shall take necessary measures such as rationalized price and distribution
of agricultural inputs, in order to
contribute to the cost reduction
of agricultural production.
The private sector shall be engaged for import,
distribution and sale of agricultural input with proper regulatory
and monitoring measures in place.
Article 32. Comprehensive Development of Rural Areas
The State shall
take necessary measures for the comprehensive rural
development and rural welfare including living infrastructure
such as roads,
markets, telecommunication, banking and
finance services, public health, education and culture to create pleasant and comfortable rural areas with beautiful landscape.
Article 33. Development of areas with poor
Geographical Conditions
The State shall take necessary measures
for the areas with poor geographical conditions
vulnerable to soil erosion and landslides due to steep slopes, and loss of agricultural
land loss due to river bank erosion.
The State taking such poor geographical conditions
into consideration shall take specific measures for mitigation of
adverse impact on production and minimum living standards of the farmers by providing support to secure
stable agricultural production conditions so that
such areas maintains desired agricultural production activities.
Article 34. Exchange between Urban Areas and Rural
Areas
The State shall take necessary measures for public awareness of
agriculture and rural areas having healthy and comfortable life in
order to have minimum migration from rural to urban centers.
Article 35. Efficiency and Transparency
in Administrative System
To improve efficiency and
transparency in the public administrative system the State shall ensure the functional bodies are
rightly structured and regulatory bodies have independent existence and there
is harmonious relation between bureaucracy, corporate bodies and private sector
as partners.
The
State shall undertake necessary reforms and restructure administrative system,
when necessary, in order to have efficiency in service delivery and
transparency of the bodies relevant to food, agriculture and rural areas, which
contribute to the realization of the basic principles.
Article 36. A
Council of Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas
A
Council of Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas, hereinafter referred to as
"Council" in the Ministry of Agriculture shall be hereby established
with members from within Ministry of Agriculture with members on call from
Ministry of Economic Affair and Ministry of Foreign Affair when trade and trade
relation are of concern.
The
Government shall seek opinions of the Council for setting comprehensive
policies and basic plan for food, agriculture and rural areas in order to
realize food self-sufficiency and food security.
The Council remains accountable
for implementing this Act, in consultations by
the Minister
of Agriculture and other ministers
concerned.
In addition to
the provisions of this Act, the Council
shall draw from the following Acts, and any others Acts and policies which have
direct impact of agriculture and rural areas:
Land Act of
Bhutan 2007
Biodiversity
Act, 2003
Bio-safety Act
of Bhutan, 2015
Cooperative
(Amendment) Act of Bhutan, 2009
Disaster
Management Act of Bhutan, 2013
Fiscal
Incentives Act of Bhutan, 2017
Livestock Act,
2001
Local Government
(Amendment) Act of Bhutan, 2014
Revised Taxes
and Levies Act of Bhutan 2016
Sales Tax,
Customs and Excise (Amendment) Act of Bhutan, 2012
Water Act of
Bhutan, 2011
The Council with
members not more than 10 shall be appointed by the Minister of
Agriculture from the
pool of eligible persons having relevant
knowledge and experience
within and outside the bureaucracy.
The Council members shall serve on a part-time basis
but the Council staff, as determined by the Council shall be full
time civil service personnel.
Article 37. Access to Information
The
Council shall have access to relevant documents and information necessary to
discharge its duty and hereby empowered to request heads of relevant
administrative bodies to submit relevant information, and offer their opinions,
explanations and other cooperation
as deemed necessary which are of
concern for food, agriculture and rural areas.
Article 38. Organization
and Administration of the Council
In addition to
what is
provided for in this Act,
the matters necessary for the organization and administration of the Council
shall be prescribed by the Cabinet
Order.]”
The
list of the Acts (Article -37) which have impact on farmers establish the
multi-dimensional nature of food, agriculture and rural area.
The
Food Act of Bhutan, 2005 gives a notion that there is an Act but it is only a
food regulating Act empowering BAFRA, a regulatory body, to regulate food
safety and standards of the food in the market and for foods being imported and
exported. Hence it leaves a vacuum for a well-intended Food and Agriculture Act
to support economically and environmentally sustainable food and agriculture development
in Bhutan.
It
will be only timely if we have a law at the earliest to safeguard and support
agriculture which engages maximum of active work force of the country. It is
necessary to ensure that agriculture do not lose its priority on the ground it
has for the self-reliance and dignity of the nation.
It
is also justified that local production of food contributes to high degree of
food self-sufficiency and food security while impact of pandemic and climate
change is real.
From
these perspectives it is inevitable to consider having a food agriculture law
seen as quintessential legal instrument for ensuring food self-sufficiency and
food security and rural development and set priorities for investment in the
best national interest.
Also,
it seems more apparent now that instead of economic recovery, recession is looming
with rural economy hit hard. For the urban population the cost of living is spiraling
and the job availability is staggering hitting youths the hardest. At such difficult
economic situation, the first and the most intellectual response should begin
with agriculture that engages maximum of Bhutanese population. The focus should
be rightly on people oriented cooperative in nature interventions that firstly
safeguards the livelihoods and thus rural economy contributing to food self-sufficiency
and food security, jobs along the food chains in food processing, agri-businesses
and export ventures.
