Karnali Province continues to grapple with an annual shortfall of 19,116 metric tons of food grains, as per official data released by the provincial government.

Among the ten districts within the province, only Salyan, Rukum West, and Surkhet maintain self-sufficiency in food production, while the remaining districts heavily rely on imports.

Dailekh, Jajarkot, Humla, Kalikot, Jumla, Mugu, and Dolpa districts face a deficit in food grain production, leaving them reliant on external sources to meet their needs throughout the year. Notably, Dailekh and Jumla import comparatively lesser quantities of food grain compared to other deficit-ridden districts, according to the Agriculture Directorate under the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperatives of Karnali Province Government.

Director Chitra Bahadur Rokaya stated that the provincial government is actively spearheading initiatives to attain food self-sufficiency in all districts and fervently working towards the vision of a self-reliant, organic province.

In 2019, a survey by World Food Programme (WFP), EPI, and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that 28% of households in hilly areas couldn’t meet food needs. Of these, 8% faced severe shortages, signaling a dire hunger situation.