Annual Report 2010

Bhutan

Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Contents
Foreword

Preface

WFP in Bhutan

Enrollment

11

Nutrition

12

Financial Benefit

13

Non Food Assistance

13

Capacity Development

14

Monitoring and Evaluation

18

WFP Bhutan in Figures

20

Logistics and Distribution

21

Government Collaboration

23

WFP phasing out and handing over

24

Donor Contributions

25

Implementing Partners

27

Challenges Ahead

29

The Year Ahead

30

Winner of art competition 2010. Art by Tshering Phuntsho

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a small landlocked country in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the
Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the
People's Republic of China.
Bhutan's economy is based on agriculture, forestry, tourism and the sale of hydroelectric power to
India. Agriculture provides the main livelihood for
Bhutan in a nutshell
more than 80 percent of the population. Agrarian
Area: 38,395 sq. km
practices consist largely of subsistence farming
and animal husbandry.
Population: 695,823 (2010)
The countrys development philosophy stresses
Population below the poverty line: 23% (2007)
the achievement of equitable and sustainable
development (Gross National Happiness) over
Countrys Nutritional Status (2009):
economic growth.

o Underweight 11.1%
o Stunting 37%
o Wasting 4.6%
National Literacy Rate: 60%

WFPs assistance to Bhutan began in 1974 with a

school-feeding project that covered 9 schools with
a little over a thousand students. The level of
assistance has increased in the following years
Net Primary Enrollment Rate: 93.1 %
spanning assistance to areas such as health, road
construction, suspension bridges, agricultural, re-settlement, forestry, irrigation, diary development,
price stabilization schemes and the establishment of a food buffer stock.
WFPs current Development Programme in Bhutan Improving Rural Childrens Access to Basic
Education with a Focus on Primary Education(2008 - 2012) aims to assist the government in its
school feeding activities by providing annually some 3,000 mt of food commodities to around 36,000
school children. These children are especially coming from remote, food insecure areas with low
primary school enrollment rates. Special attention is given to the girl students.
This project reflects the increasing role being assumed by the Government in the school feeding
programme as part of a transition phase to complete Government support.
WFP also assists in infrastructural development like construction of boarding facilities, matron's
quarters, kitchen, food stores and toilet facilities at remote, rural off-road, schools to increase access
to education and for a self-sufficient and sustainable school feeding programme.

WFP in Bhutan

WFP in Bhutan

WFP in Bhutan

Support for School Agricultural Programme and fuel-efficient stoves are also provided. Furthermore,
WFP provides capacity-building activities to government counterparts to strengthen their ability to
take over the School Feeding Programme.

After the departure of the international Country

Director in mid 2009 the WFP Country Office is
currently run by 10 national staff only. Due to
good support, guidance and encouragement
from the WFP HQ, Rome, Regional Bureau at
Bangkok, support from the India Country Office
in New Delhi, and Nepal Country Office in
Kathmandu, WFP CO in Bhutan has been able to
conduct its business as usual. The goodwill and
support from the donors has helped us to avoid
pipeline breaks in our food provision to the
children.

The difficult mountain terrain, erratic weather conditions, limited communications and highly
scattered settlements impede access to schools. The education sector strategy notes that the biggest
challenge to providing universal basic education in Bhutan lies in enrolling and retaining those
children from poor and food-insecure families of remote communities. Particular attention is also
given to reducing gender disparity in education, in line with the Millennium Development Goal of
gender equality. The Government envisages Education for All by 2015. To achieve this, school
infrastructure has to be expanded not only to allow for increased enrollment rates but also to
accommodate the growing number of school-age children resulting from the current population
growth.
Through the School Feeding Programme WFP
assists the government to increase enrollment,
encourage gender balance, improve students
capacity to concentrate and reduce drop-out rates.
WFP provided breakfast and lunch to some 36,000
students in 221 schools in 2010. Resources for a
third meal (dinner) in boarding schools were
provided by the government. All children attending
boarding schools received WFP food for 292 days;
while day students received food for 242 days.
Students receiving WFP meals per school category in 2010
Beneficiary Group
Female
Male
Total
Students receiving WFP meal in classes PP - 6
(Primary/Community Primary)
Students receiving WFP meal in classes 7 & 8
(Lower Secondary)
TOTAL

Gender
ratio

13,192

13,531

26,723

0.97

4,278

4,407

8,685

0.97

17,938

35,408

0.97

17,470

School Feeding Programme

School Feeding Programme

School Feeding Programme

Enrollment
School feeding has been the major WFP activity since the start of the WFP assistance to the Royal
Government of Bhutan (RGOB) with an increase in enrollment and attendance as main goals. The net
primary enrollment rate increased the last ten years from an estimated 53 % in 1998 to an impressive
93 % in 2010, while attendance rates have also been above 90%. Drop out rates nationwide between
pre-primary to grade 10 remained under 5%: 2010s drop-out rate was 1.7%.
These quantitative achievements are
WFP beneficiary 2005 - 2010
matched by qualitative improvements
45,000
in education that are enhanced
40,000
through
the
School
Feeding
35,000
Programme. By relieving short-term
30,000
hunger, students are able to better
No. of 25,000
students 20,000
concentrate on their studies and
achieve higher levels of education.
15,000
10,000
Without School Feeding the majority
5,000
of children from the poorest families
0
would not attend school, particularly
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
in the case of boarders.
Year
Female

Male

Total

From 2008 Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB) took over

some 3,000 boarding students of classes 11 and 12 and from
2009, additional 5,500 boarding students of classes 9 and 10
(except from 10 schools) were taken into government feeding
program as part of the handover programme to the
government by WFP. In 2010 another 3,000 students were
taken over (from the 10 schools left in 2009). However,
students of classes pre-primary to six were added in WFP
feeding program in place of the phased out students of
classes 9 to 12.

The third meal in the boarding school is provided through the

government cash stipend system.
Financial Benefit
School Feeding provides an avenue for income transfer to
poor families, as their children do not have to be provided
with breakfast and packed lunch for day students and for
boarding students all the meals. The local communities also
benefit given that schools buy food and vegetables for the
third meal locally. The community people are also paid the transportation cost for lifting the food
from the road head to the schools.

10

School Feeding Programme

Nutrition
Nutritional and health status are powerful influences on a childs learning and on how well a child
performs in school. Weak health and poor nutrition among school-age children diminish their
cognitive development either through
WFP food ration
physiological changes or by reducing their
Grams per
ability
to
participate
in
learning
Meal
Commodity
child per meal
experiences or both.
Rice
125
Breakfast
Chickpeas (Chana)
20
All WFP beneficiaries at the school
Oil
10
receives two meals a day consisting of rice,
Rice
150
chickpeas and oil for breakfast and rice,
Lunch
Yellow Split Peas (Dal)
20
pulses and vegetable oil for lunch. Maize
Oil
10
grits were part of the lunch menu till June
2010, however due to quality problems it was replaced with rice. This provides the students with up to
54% of the recommended daily calorie intake and up to 51% of the recommended daily protein intake.
This is supplemented by fresh vegetables and iodized salt
managed through cash stipends provided by the government
in boarding schools and contributions from parents in day
schools. Schools are also engaged in vegetable cultivation in
which WFP assists with seeds and farming implements. The
produce of school gardens, especially green vegetables,
supplements the WFP food items.

Non Food Assistance

Non Food Assistance

In addition to providing food commodities, WFP also supports infrastructural requirements of the
schools that it supports. During 2010, WFP supported the construction of new kitchen and food stores
in remote primary schools that began the feeding
Construction of Hostels with toilets
programme from 2010.
and shower block
An important area of focus during 2009-2010 has
been the provision of electrical stoves to the schools
with feeding programme. These stoves are locally
manufactured and contribute to the protection of
forest resources.
In 2010 WFP continued the distribution of the
electrical stoves that was initiated in 2009. The
provision of these stoves was funded by Liaison
Office of Denmark (LoD).

Equipping the school kitchens with rice

cookers

Furthermore, funds were provided to purchase utensils

and to establish the School Agriculture Programme (SAP)
in selected schools.
WFP constructs Extended Delivery Points (EDP) for
remote schools that are not connected by road, EDPs are
constructed at the road end from where the porters would,
supported by mules and yaks, lift the food supplies
through the challenging terrain to reach the beneficiary
school.

List of Non Food Activities carried out in 2010

Construction of Kitchen and Stores
5 schools
Provision of kitchen utensils
13 schools
Provision for Electric Stoves ( continued
45 schools
from 2009)
Introduction of School Agriculture
5 schools
Program
Construction of EDPs
3 locations

11

Students live as informal boarders in

make shift huts around the school

WFPs current assistance is focused on school feeding and the gradual handing over of the project to
the government.
WFP continues to help develop the capacity of the Government to assume increased responsibility for
school feeding and its management. MoE staff and District Education Officers are being provided
with training on planning, monitoring and reporting systems. WFP in-charges at the schools are
provided with training on school feeding management, nutrition and reporting. School cooks are
provided with training on personal hygiene, nutrition and food preparation. WFP also provided IT
equipments to MoE and Food Corporation of Bhutan (FCB).

In the areas of supply chain management, WFP provided a number of capacity building activities for
its national logistics partner FCB by conducting warehouse and stock management training to its
staff, renovation and maintenance of warehouses and transit stores.

12

Capacity Development

Capacity Development

Capacity Development

Training of Focal Agriculture Teachers from selected schools on nutritional values on different green
vegetables and gardening was also conducted as part of WFPs support to the School Agriculture
Programme.

Capacity development activities to counterpart in 2010

Training of Focal Agriculture Teachers on integrated farming.
Study visit on organic farming for Focal Agriculture Teachers and students.
Training of teachers/WFP in-charges of the WFP assisted schools in heath, nutrition
and hygiene education.
Training of cooks from WFP assisted schools in hygiene and nutritional practices.
Training of FCB Store keepers in basic warehouse management.

17 schools
11
37 schools
60 schools
17 staffs

The Royal Government of Bhutan continues to take the responsibility of higher classes from WFPs
School Feeding programme. Since 2008, the government has taken up the feeding of students from
grades 11 and 12. In 2010, the feeding of students in grades 9 and 10 has also been taken over by the
government under its cash stipend system.
Advisors from the Office of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
Delegates from the Office of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand, along with H.E. Royal Thai
Ambassador to Bangladesh and Bhutan visited Bhutan to observe and provide technical briefing on the
School Agriculture Programme (SAP) carried out jointly by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of
Agriculture and Forests. Upon visiting five project sites in central and western Bhutan, the team was
impressed by the successful implementation of SAP in all these schools.

The team with students of Drugyel Higher Secondary School in Paro

13

Art and Literature Competition

In 2010, WFP presented awards for its School Painting and Literature Competition held among all 221 WFPassisted schools in Bhutan.
The School Painting and Literature Competitions were designed with the aim of promoting awareness about
WFPs operations, increasing the knowledge of food issues amongst school-going children and celebrating
the creative talents of Bhutans students.
The theme for the WFP school painting competition was How to fight hunger. This years first prize for the
category I (class PP to 4) was won by Tshering Norbu from Tongtophey CPS in Trongsa. The first prize
winner for the category II (class 5 to 8) was Sangay Dorji from Martshala MSS in Samdrupjongkhar.

Category I
First Prize
Winner
Art by Tshering
Norbu

Category II
First Prize Winner
Art by Sangay Dorji

The topic for the literature competition was as follows:

Category 1: Classes PP to 4 - Fond Memories of WFP
Category 2: Classes 5 to 8 - "Two year after WFP left..."
The first prize winner in the category 1 was Thukten Yoezer from Tshangkha LSS in Trongsa and the winner
for the category was Rinzin Choden from Tongtophey CPS in Trongsa.

14

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and Evaluation

As part of the regular activity, WFP and MOE have been conducting joint monitoring of WFP
activities in the country. Monitoring visits are an essential activity to directly collect data and monitor
activities at the schools. These visits have become an important source of information for
performance analysis. The monitoring visits are crucial in identifying problems at the school level that
require prompt solutions. Also, a handson-training to the Principal, WFP incharge and the cooks is conducted which
helps the school manage the feeding
programme efficiently. Field monitors
help to gather data which are helpful in
assessing and improving the quality of the
programme.
In 2010 a total of 118 schools were visited
for monitoring. This included the schools
that were not visited in 2009; schools with
significant problem identified in previous
visit and newly phased in schools.
Management of losses/damage, stock
record keeping, hygiene and reporting
were some of the issues observed in the schools during the visit. As an intervention to these issues
WFP will continue training the mess in-charges from the schools.
WFP along with FCB also monitored all the Warehouses, Transit Warehouses and most of the
extended delivery points. Regular monitoring resulted in a number of positive interventions in the
areas of supply chain management, physical up-gradations and minimizing losses especially at the
EDPs.
While on monitoring visits all the WFP/FCB warehouse & depot in-charges & EDP in charges were
briefed on proper warehouse and losses management. In addition the notable achievement was
training of the WFP/FCB warehouse and depot in-charges in Delhi. The training has greatly enhanced
their capacity and their exposure has been translated into effective management of WFP operations.

15

WFP helps fulfill Tashis dream

Tashi Jamtsho is a nine years old boy studying in class II in Yelchen Community Primary School,
which is about four hours walk from the end of a farm road in one of the poorest districts of
Bhutan, Pemagatshel.
Tashi has one elder sister and one younger sister. Tashi never saw his mother who passed away
when he was a child, so he was brought up by his father and grandmother, who works in the field
everyday to sustain their livelihood.
After returning from school, Tashi often helps his grandma in her domestic chores and in tending
the cows.

Tashi sitting to the right

Tashi wakes up early to catch the nutritious

breakfast of rice with chickpeas after walking for
about two hours. At school, he enjoys being with his
friends, playing with them and eating the two meals
provided by WFP. Tashi, little as he may be, was
eloquent in expressing his appreciation of the meals
that he (and the school) started to receive from April
2010. Prior to that, Tashi was not able to bring his
lunch, and spent his lunch hour on the school
veranda, watching others eat. He did not play either,
because he said it made him hungrier!
Tashi likes to go to school because he says he gets
food which is delicious and enough. Tashis favorite
subject is Mathematics.

Tashi dreams to be a driver because there are many

from the area who ended up being a truck driver. Still, Tashi does have a dream, and that is
where food acts as a facilitator to realize a childs dream.
The principal of the school was no less eloquent about the benefits of the meals. It has reduced
the concern and stress on children of what to eat as lunch time approached. There are tangible
results in pass rate. Prior to the provision of meals, there were irregularities in attendance
because often children went back home halfway to the school if they were late. But today the
children were never late for the school. The provision of meals also reduced illness, improved
attendance, health and hygiene, gave more time for games and sports and children became
physically active and attentive in the class.

16

WFP Bhutan in Figures

WFP Bhutan in Figures

In 2010, WFP Bhutan provided 2,826 MT of food for 35,408 schoolchildren in 221
schools across 20 districts:
26,723 schoolchildren in Primary/Community
Primary Schools
8,685 schoolchildren in Lower Secondary Schools
14,828 schoolchildren as boarding students
20,580 schoolchildren as day students
Off road schools: 159 (72%)
On road Schools: 62 (28%)
Over 19 million meals served
Number of schools supported by WFP in each of Bhutans 20 districts in 2010

17

Getting food to those who need it most

becomes more complex as WFP expands its
assistance to the remotest locations. More
than 70 percent of beneficiary schools are
located anywhere between 3 hours to 7 day
walk (one way) from the nearest road head.
In monsoon most of these schools are not
accessible by road and delivery of food has
to be done much before the start of the
monsoon. Therefore, pre-positioning of the
food commodities for monsoon is vital in
this mountainous country to avoid a break
in the food pipeline. Moreover the
transportation of food takes anywhere
between one to five weeks to reach the
remote off-road schools.

Commodities Distributed in 2010 (in MT)

Vegetable Oil,
168
Split Peas, 162
Chickpeas, 166
Maize Meal
156

Men and animal carry food to

more than 70 percent of the
WFP assisted schools that are
not connected by road

18

Rice, 2175

Logistics and Distribution

Logistics and Distribution

Logistics and Distribution

In 2010, with the help of partners, WFP distributed over 2,826 MT of food commodities. The
logistical aspects of WFPs operations are jointly handled by the Food Corporation of Bhutan (FCB)
and by individual districts. FCB receives commodities at one of its three regional warehouses, which
are located in Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jonkhar.
Extended Delivery Points (EDP) or food delivery points have been established so that remote schools
without road accessibility are still able to collect food. There are three regional warehouses, seven
transit warehouses and about 60 EDPs spread across the country. The delivery of the food
commodities from transit warehouses and EDPs to feeding centers not accessible by road is overseen
by the district administrations, which organize and finance the transportation of the commodities.
For off-road schools, food is lifted from the road head by porters, ponies or even yaks, through the
challenging terrain, to reach the beneficiaries.
WFP Bhutan remains committed to local procurement; in 2010, 85 percent of food was purchased
locally. To the extent possible, food was procured locally, although due to limited internal production
most commodities originate from neighboring India.
WFP takes part in Social Forestry Day
2nd June is celebrated as Social Forestry day in Bhutan. WFP observed the day by providing tree saplings
and refreshments to students and teachers in selected schools. WFP participated in planting 2,000 saplings
with the help of the school children of Dawakha LSS in Paro, Genekha LSS and Yangchen Gatshel LSS in
Thimphu, Chungkha LSS in Chhukha, Bartsham MSS, Yangneer CPS and Dungtse MSS in Trashigang.

19

The Royal Government of Bhutan through the MoE and Ministry of Agriculture and Forests are
WFPs principal partners. The Government has established a School Feeding, Agriculture and
Environment Division within the Ministry of Education with which WFP works closely to build its
ability to manage school feeding.
Country programme activities are being
integrated into the overall development plans of
the Government.
The Royal Government of Bhutan provided over
US$5,000 towards WFP office support costs,
while also donating rent free UN House, which
hosts most UN agency offices in Bhutan.
Furthermore,
the
government
provided
budgetary support in terms of remuneration for

school cooks (approximately US$580,000

annually); cost of porters (US$700,000)
and dedicated Ministry of Education staff
(US$20,000). In addition to this, the
government covers 50 percent of ITSH costs
for food commodities within Bhutan
amounting to approximately US$150,000
annually.
Moreover, the government funds the cost of
the third meal in all WFP-assisted boarding
schools through a cash stipend of approximately US $ 5 per student per month for classes Preprimary to eight and US $15 per student per month for children in grades 9-12 for all three meals.

20

Government Collaboration

Government Collaboration

Government Collaboration

WFP phasing out and handing over

The current project reflects the increasing role being assumed by the Government in the school
feeding programme as part of a transition phase to full Government support. The focus of WFP
assistance in the current Development Project is on primary education and capacity-building of
government counterparts.
The Royal Government of Bhutan continues to take over the responsibility of higher classes from
WFPs School Feeding programme. In 2008, the government assumed the feeding of students from
A typical school day grades 11 and 12 and in 2009 from grades 9 and 10, with
the exception of 10 higher and middle secondary schools,
starts with morning which were absorbed by government from 2010 under
prayers
its cash stipend system.
School Feeding programme in Bhutan is run under two
separate models one supplementing the other.

1. Government feeding programme are available in

all boarding schools, starting from pre-primary class
to grade 12. However, from pre-primary class to
grade 8, only dinner is supported through
Most children walk to and from school,
government stipends; and for grades 9 to 12 all three
some even more than 3 hours one way
meals are provided. The RGoB contributes a stipend
of Nu 700 ($ 15 USD) per child per month for three
meals to all boarders that are not in the WFP programme. This applies to all boarders in classes 9 to
12. Where the first two meals of the day are provided by the WFP-supported programme (up to grade
8), the government provides Nu 240 ($ 5 USD) per child per month for the third meal. The school
administration manages a cash stipend in line with the government procurement guidelines.
Suppliers are contracted by the school for the supply of the commodities according to the contract
agreement.
2. WFP feeding programme provides only breakfast and lunch to all boarding and day students from
pre-primary to grade 8.

21

In 2010 WFP Bhutan received a little over US$ 1.8 million dollars in the form of Directed Multilateral
and Multilateral contributions. US$ 1.24 was received as directed multilateral from Australia, Japan
Association for the UN WFP, government of Bhutan, Yum! Brands, UN Common Funds and US
Friends of WFP while through multilateral channels 400,000 US$ were received from Government of
Denmark. These contributions have been utilized to purchase food commodities and for associated
costs.
Donor
Australia
Govt. of Denmark
Japan Association for WFP
Yum! Brands (CAF UK)
UN Common Funds under Delivering as One (DaO)
Yum! Brands (Australia)
Pizza Hut (Korea)
Yum! Brands (US Friends of WFP)
Government Counterpart Cash Contribution
TIUM Korea
TOTAL

22

Contribution Type
Directed Multilateral
Multilateral
Directed Multilateral
Directed Multilateral
Directed Multilateral
Directed Multilateral
Directed Multilateral
Directed Multilateral
Directed Multilateral
Directed Multilateral

US$
436,681
400,000
359,649
210,225
194,999
120,952
53,209
87,000
5,000
4,982
1,872,697

Donor Contributions

Donor Contributions

Continued Support from the Government of Australia in 2010

Government of Australia continued their generous support to Bhutan's School Feeding Programme with a
donation of around US$ 440,000 dollars. This contribution has been used to procure food for 2010 academic
year. Australia plans to continue their annual support also in the future. Australia's support has a great
impact on the lives of students of Bhutan.
In April, Mr. Mark Bailey, Australian Regional Counselor for South Asia was able to visit a WFP-assisted
school in Thimphu in order to see the impact from the contributions made to Bhutan.
Dr. Lachlan Strahan, Deputy Head of Mission, Australian High Commission in New Delhi visited Bhutan in
September. On his visit to Bhutan in a WFP assisted school he was impressed to see the impact made by
their contribution in the lives of young children of Bhutan.

Mr. Mark Bailey, Australian Regional Counselor for South Asia at Genekha
Lower Secondary School
Dr. Lachlan Strahan, Deputy Head of Mission, Australian High Commission
in New Delhi at Yangchen Gatshel Lower Secondary School

23

The School Feeding Programme in Bhutan is implemented jointly with the Ministry of Education
(MOE). At the central level, the programme is managed by the MOE and WFP. In the field, theDistrict
Education Officers (DEO), FCB staff and school mess committee members work together in
organizing and following food distributions, and monitoring the implementation of the programme
throughout the school year.
Education is linked to all the Millennium
Hand washing mandatory at all
Development Goals set by the United Nations and
schools with feeding programme
WFP works with other UN agencies towards
achieving them. This brings advantages of synergy to
the activities of WFP and its sister agencies.
Joint programming with other UN agencies has
therefore been strongly pursued, especially through

the Annual Work Plan (AWP). The joint AWP has

formulated the key priorities to which the UN
agencies intend to contribute in support of the
Government's Five Year Plan.
Food Corporation of Bhutan (FCB) is the logistical
partner of WFP. FCB is responsible for internal
transportation, storage and handling of food.

School Gardens through the School

Agriculture Programme

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, WFP established school agriculture
programme in selected schools across the country. In addition, UNICEF and WFP worked together to
improve water and sanitation facilities in schools.

24

Implementing Partners

Implementing Partners

The World Food Day

The World Food Day was celebrated at Pemagatshel MSS on October 16. The theme for this years world
food day wasUnited Against Hunger. The day was celebrated to recognize the efforts made in the fight
against world hunger at the national, regional and international levels.
Various activities were organized as part of the celebration including agricultural products display by the
students from their school agricultural programmes as well as by the farmers from the vicinity. A debate on
Pressurizing Politicians to End Hunger was organized between the students of two schools. There was also
a farmers quiz competition on agriculture, livestock and forestry. The celebration this year was supported
by FAO, WFP and UNDP.

25

Bhutan faces many challenges in achieving the MDGs; it is difficult to determine the exact number of
school aged children who are out of school, especially in those very remote and difficult parts of the
country. The difficult terrain hinders the delivery of the
services. In order to reach the UN Millennium
Development Goal of Education for All Bhutan still has
challenges to overcome. Some districts have a net
primary enrollment rate significantly below the national
average. That poverty is mainly a rural phenomenon
reflects itself in the fact that rural enrollment is on an
average 25% lower compared to urban areas.

School nestled high up in the

mountains
Progress made within the primary education
programme over the last decade to meet the MDGs
and the Education for All goals has placed enormous
pressure on limited resources of teachers, facilities and
finance. A major challenge therefore lies in
maintaining a level of resources to support both
expansion and qualitative development of primary
A typical community primary school
education programme.
As part of handing over of the school feeding program
to the government a number of capacity development
activities are planned which are very essential for implementing the program at the same level by the
government after the withdrawal of WFP. Therefore, apart from the shortfall for implementing
regular feeding program a huge amount of funding gap is foreseen for carrying out the planned
activities for capacity development of the implementing partners in the coming years.
Another very important concern is the malnutrition situation in the country. According to the
National Nutrition and Infant and Young Child Feeding study (2009) it was found that the level of
national prevalence was 37 percent for stunting, 11.1 percent for underweight and 4.6 percent for
wasting.

26

Challenges ahead

Challenges Ahead

The Year Ahead

The Year Ahead

The year ahead promises to be exciting as well as challenging for WFP and RGOB. WFP CO Bhutan
had a mission to review current and future status of current Development Project 10579.0. The
objectives of this mission were to take stock of actual achievements to date of the current project and
to provide recommendations for the handover of all aspects of the programme to the Government
between 2012 and 2015.
The findings and recommendations will be
presented to the government in 2011. One of the
main recommendations of the mission was to
formulate a finite development project from 2013
2015. This would align with the end of the 2015
school year.
In line with the handing over of the school
feeding programme to the government,
strengthening relations between WFP and the
counterpart Ministries and agencies will be a high priority for coming years, with more Government
involvement in the new project formulation and approval, retargeting of beneficiary schools and joint
monitoring. Capacity building will be prioritized.
Through the school feeding programme approximately 36,500 school children will be supported in
2011 with some 3000 MT of food commodities comprising of rice, split peas, chick peas and vegetable
oil.
WFP will continue its support with the non-food program such as kitchen, food store, school
agriculture programme, extended delivery point construction in the newly phased in schools.
WFP CO Bhutan looks forward to continued support from the donors to keep the same level of
support to the needy school children in the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Education in Bhutan is a
success story and WFP is proud to be a partner in this field. Prevailing level of good governance, low
corruption and accountability in the country ensures that donor contributions deliver the desired
results. WFP CO in Bhutan will continue to play its role in Bhutans development quest, with
continued donor support, and ensure that every dollar we receive is spent in the most productive way

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In appreciation of those who led WFP CO in Bhutan

Country Director
Mr. M. K. Arela
Mr. Robert Hauser
Ms. Birgitta Karlgren
Mr. Giorgio Maragliano
Ms. Sonsoles Ruedas
Mr. John Bailey
Mr. Gerald Daly
Mr. Leo van der Velden
Mr. Dungkar Drukpa (Officer In-charge)

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Years in Bhutan
1984 - 1988
1989 - 1992
1992 - 1996
1997 - 1998
1999 - 2001
2002
2003 - 2006
2007 - 2009
2010

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From Left to right: Tshewang Gyalpo, Tashi Tshewang, Udaya Sharma,Namgay Tenzin, Dungkar
Drukpa, Tashi Dema Penjore, Kencho Wangmo, Tsgering Palden, Phub Delma
Staff not featured above:
Bhanu B. Adhikari

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World Food Programme

Post Box # 162
Thimphu
Bhutan
Tel: +975-2-322424
Fax: +975-2-2323988
www.wfp.org/countries/bhutan
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