Issues Relating to Poverty & Hunger
In News: Counting the ‘poor’ having nutritional deficiency
There are still significant issues with food security in India despite numerous efforts to overcome them. Examine critically.
India has experienced remarkable economic growth in recent years and remains one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Although the Government of India has been actively addressing food security at households for a long time through the Public distribution system and the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
Food security in India has been a persistent challenge, despite various initiatives by the government and other organizations. The issue of food security revolves around three critical components: availability, accessibility, and affordability of food.
Challenges Related to Food Security
- Deteriorating Soil Health nearly 95% of global food production depends on soil.
- Soil degradation due to excessive or inappropriate use of agrochemicals, deforestation and natural calamities is a significant challenge to sustainable food production.
- In the past 10 years, India has faced more than 10 major invasive pest and weed attacks, for example Parthenium hysterophorus Linnaeus (Carrot grass), Cyperus rotundus (Nut grass),
- India lacks a strict management framework for food security. Public Distribution System faces challenges like leakages and diversion of food-grains, inclusion/exclusion errors, fake and bogus ration cards, and weak grievance redressal and social audit mechanism.
- Farmers have diverted land from producing coarse grains to the production of rice and wheat due to a minimum support price.
- The monsoon accounts for around 70% of India’s annual rainfall and irrigates 60% of its net sown area. Changing precipitation patterns and growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods are already reducing agricultural productivity in India, posing a serious threat to food security.
- At a time when the Covid-19 Pandemic had already impacted food supply around the world in 2020, Russia-Ukraine War in 2022 has disrupted the global supply chain and resulted in food scarcity and food inflation.
Way forward
- Improving food security in India is a multifaceted challenge that requires a combination of policies, programs, and initiatives aimed at increasing food availability, access, and utilization.
- Enhance Agricultural Productivity: Invest in agricultural research and development to develop high-yield and climate-resilient crop varietiesImprove access to modern farming technologies, such as improved seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation systems. Promote farmer cooperatives and self-help groups to enhance collective bargaining power.
- Water Management: Invest in water conservation and management techniques to address water scarcity issues.
- Infrastructure Development: Improve rural infrastructure, including roads, storage facilities, and markets, to reduce post-harvest losses and connect farmers to consumers.
- Food Distribution and Supply Chain Enhancement: Strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS) and other food distribution networks to ensure efficient and equitable access to food.
- Nutrition Education: Launch public awareness campaigns to educate people about balanced nutrition and healthy eating habits.
- Implement school-based nutrition programs to improve the health and nutrition of children.
- Climate Resilience: Develop climate-resilient farming practices and provide support to farmers to adapt to changing climate patterns.
- Research and Innovation: Invest in research and innovation to find solutions to food security challenges, including crop diseases, pests, and climate-related issues.
- Policy and Governance: Strengthen governance and transparency in food-related policies and programs.
- Addressing food insecurity in India requires a multi-pronged approach that includes improving agricultural practices, ensuring equitable distribution, reducing food wastage, enhancing access to social safety nets, and addressing poverty and malnutrition.