Around 35,000 people in 10 VDCs of Bajura district are reeling under food shortage, a study has revealed.

According to the District Food Security Network, remote VDCs of Bicchaya, Rugin, Sappata, Wai, Jukot, Gotri, Jagannath, Badhu, Dhakot and Dogadi are not receiving enough food. The network said 60 to 80 percent of the population in these VDCs are affected by food shortage.

Chief of District Agriculture Development Office Ram Krishna Shrestha said the food shortage in these VDCs has been categorised as third stage crisis.

“The third stage crisis means the concerned population has been seriously affected. It is a dangerous state,” Shrestha said.

Bicchaya is one of the worst affected VDCs where 405 out of 507 households do not have enough food. The agricultrue development office has warned that the food situation in Bajura could get worse in the coming months.

Growing food insecurity has already driven scores of families out of the district.

Besides migration, Man Bahadur Rokaya, a local teacher said, there are not many young people in the district. “A majority of the young male population have gone to India for employment,” Rokaya said. “There are hardly any young people left in Sappata VDC. Women, children and elderly citizens are the ones left behind.”

Extreme poverty is one

of the chief reasons behind food insecurity in Bajura. Many families in remote region of the district

cannot afford to buy food, the netowrk said.