FOOD SECURITY AND HUNGER IN INDIA – ECONOMY

Food Security and Hunger in India – ECONOMY

NEWS: Estimated 74 million undernourished people in India between 2020 and 2022, highlighting widespread food insecurity and hunger.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Current State of Food Security in India

  1. SOFI 2023 Report Findings:
    • India ranks 111th out of 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023, reflecting high levels of child stunting, wasting, and undernourishment.
  2. GHI Implications:
    • Indicates widespread food inadequacy, especially among vulnerable populations.
    • The report has drawn significant attention to India’s persistent food insecurity challenges.

Meal Consumption Patterns (HCES 2022-23)

  1. Definition of a Meal:
    • A "meal" consists of one or more cooked food items, with cereals or cereal products as the primary component.
  2. Monthly Meal Consumption Data:
    • 3.2% of the population consumed fewer than 60 meals in 30 days, indicating a small proportion experiencing hunger.
    • Over 90% consumed 60–90 meals, suggesting most individuals meet or exceed basic meal frequency for adequate nutrition.
  3. Daily Meal Patterns:
    • 56.3% consume three meals a day, while 42.8% eat two meals daily.
    • Only 0.1% eat one meal daily, and 0.8% consume no meals, which includes infants reliant on milk.
    • 99.1% of the population typically consumes two or three meals a day, reflecting general freedom from hunger.
  4. Insights from Meal Skipping:
    • 2.5% of the population skipped meals (fewer than 60 meals in a month), which may not solely indicate hunger but occasional meal skipping or food preferences.
    • Meal frequency excludes light snacks or breakfast, focusing only on full meals.

Hunger in India: Key Observations

  1. Low Hunger Intensity but High Absolute Numbers:
    • While only 2.5% of the population faces hunger based on two meals a day, this represents around 35 million people.
    • About 6.7% of the population is unable to maintain daily meal frequency over a month, affecting 93.8 million people.
  2. Undernourishment Statistics:
    • The SOFI report estimates 74 million undernourished people, highlighting persistent food insecurity despite overall improvements.
  3. Food Quality and Nutrition:
    • Meal consumption data focuses on quantity but does not assess the nutritional value or diversity of food.
    • Addressing hunger requires assessing both food quantity (hunger) and food quality (nutrition) for a comprehensive understanding of food security.

Challenges in Assessing Hunger

  1. Data Gaps:
    • The NSS 78th round (2020-21) collected data on household food insecurity, including skipped meals due to lack of resources, but this data remains unavailable to the public.
    • Current surveys lack detailed information on the nutritional composition and quality of consumed food.

Limitations of Current Indicators: While meal frequency provides insights into hunger, it does not fully capture regional disparities or the severity of food insecurity.

Government Interventions and Gaps

  1. Free Food Grain Schemes:
    • Central and state governments provide free food grains to the poor, improving food access for millions.
    • However, food security requires access to nutritious, safe, and stable food beyond just basic calories.

Policy Gaps: Current policies do not adequately address nutritional diversity, regional disparities, and affordability of nutrient-rich foods.

The Way Forward

  1. Addressing Hunger and Food Security Holistically:
    • A comprehensive strategy is needed to address both hunger (quantity) and food insecurity (quality).
    • Policies should ensure access to diverse, balanced, and nutrient-rich diets for all segments of the population.
  2. Data Collection and Analysis:
    • Reliable, detailed, and region-specific data on food quantity, quality, and nutritional value is critical to identifying and addressing gaps.
  3. Focus on Zero Hunger:
    • Achieving zero hunger requires addressing the distribution, affordability, and accessibility of nutritious food.
    • Efforts should be supported by targeted interventions to mitigate regional disparities and ensure sustainable food systems.

Source: https://www.business-standard.com/opinion/columns/india-s-hunger-paradox-few-miss-meals-but-food-insecurity-persists-124123001068_1.html