부산대학교 도서관

Food habit is changing for most communities around the world. The factors causing those changes and their impacts, however, differs according to local specificities. The studies related to changes in the food basket composition shed light on changing demands and health conditions of the communities. While there are ample studies related to the topic of diet transition of indigenous population in developed countries, the literature void is dire for similar communities in developing countries especially in Asia. This paper studies the dynamics of the food basket composition of a highly marginalized indigenous community in the remote mid-hills of Nepal. The analysis is basically qualitative, supported by descriptive statistics based on panel data collected through household surveys in 2010 and 2015. Results show declining consumption of millet from own production and wild tubers. Rice, lentil and cooking oil is increasingly procured from the market. The results imply that the community is increasingly relying on non-traditional food items from the market; while the traditional food items cultivated or gathered from forest sees a declining trend. The study provides implications for line agencies and development organizations to devise suitable policy-programs aiming to improve the food security of such marginalized communities. Acknowledgement