Foreign Employment and Food Security

Every year thousands of youth go to foreign countries in search of employment for their better earning and in search of good future. This trend is increasing at an alarming rate especially in the hilly region of Nepal.

The remittance send by them is the backbone of Nepal’s economy and it’s helping people to uplift their socio-economic standard. More than this, it has highly increase the purchasing capacity of Nepalese people.

When foreign employment is looked superficially, it might be appealing but the consequences of uncontrolled foreign employment are being seen in the rural areas of Nepal. If these things are not addressed in time, then it will be too late.

The productive age group (15-59 years) which is the most important for country’s development and progress are being lured by foreign employer. Due to excessive migration of youth for foreign employment, it’s very difficult to find farm labor at the time of need in the hilly region of Nepal.

Here hectares of productive and fertile land are left barren due to lack of manpower (farm labor). Only elderly persons, women and children are found in the rural areas and it’s rare to find the youth in the countryside

Nepal which is importer of agriculture products from neighboring countries has to import more and more agriculture products year by year with the overgrowing population and barren productive and fertile land. Thus increasing the risk of food insecurity

The increasing imports and skyrocketing trade deficit of Nepal along with the increasing inflation is putting Nepal’s economic condition in fragile condition.

In the time to optimize domestic production and becoming self sustainable in agriculture production, fertile and productive land are being kept barren leading to further food insecurity .The government should address the problem before its too late.