Bhutan has always accorded high priority to poverty alleviation with pro-poor development
activities as evident in the past five-year development plans. In addition, food security has
been an explicit and formal objective of the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) since 1994,
when it developed the Comprehensive National Food Security Programme (CNFSP). The 9th
Five Year Plan (FYP) also highlighted food security as one of its main objectives. However,
a holistic approach to building food security was missing since the approach taken by RGoB
under the 9th FYP mainly focused on achieving food security by increasing self sufficiency
in food grains; other related non-farm or non-agriculture sector elements were not addressed
adequately.
During the 9th FYP implementation period, following close consultation with multiple stakeholders,
RGoB’s approach to food security was broadened in the formulation of the Bhutan
National Food Security Strategy Paper 2006 (BNFSSP). Most of the interventions promulgated
in BNFSSP were based on a detailed analysis of the Renewable Natural Resources
(RNR) Census 2000 data. With the availability of more recent data - the 2007 Bhutan Living
Standards Survey (BLSS) - it is now possible to update the BNFSSP.
The Right to Food (RTF) broadens the concept of ‘food security’ by adding a legal dimension.
Every individual has the right to feed him or herself in dignity. This right has complementary
obligations for the State: governments have the duty to protect individuals from more powerful
individuals or entities that threaten to infringe on a person’s RTF. Governments should also
use the maximum of available resources to create an enabling environment that allows every
person to produce or procure safe and nutritious food for its consumption. Only if an individual,
for reasons beyond its control, is unable to feed itself, shall the State provide food.