Global Hunger Index and India-Explained Pointwise

Recently, Global Hunger Index 2024 was released by Concern Worldwide (Irish NGO) and Welt Hunger Hilfe (German NGO). India has been placed at 105th position out of 127 countries. In the Global Hunger Index(GHI) 2023, India was placed at 111th position out of 125 countries.

The report highlights the failure of the Indian state to provide adequate food and nutrition, which are crucial for capitalizing on its demographic potential. The paradox between high food production (332 million tonnes in 2023-24) and persistent malnutrition highlights systemic issues in India’s healthcare and social safety net systems.

What is Global Hunger Index, and what is its methodology?

Global Hunger Index(GHI)- The GHI is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at global, regional and national levels. 

Methodology of Calculation of GHI

The GHI score of each country is calculated based on a formula combining four indicators that together capture the multidimensional nature of hunger.

S.No.	Indicators	Description	Logo
1	Undernourishment	The share of the population with insufficient caloric intake
2	Child stunting	The share of children under age five who have low height for their age. Reflects chronic under nutrition.
3	Child wasting	The share of children under age five who have low weight for their height. Reflects acute under nutrition.
4	Child mortality	The share of children who die before their fifth birthday. Reflects the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.

Why has the Methodology of Global Hunger Index been criticised by the Indian Government in the past?

Indian Government has rejected the methodology of Global Hunger Index in the past . It has called it a flawed measurement of “hunger” that does not reflect India’s true position. Government of India’s criticism are as follows-

1. Use of Child Centric Indicators to determine overall hunger- The government contends that three indicators(Child stunting, Child Wasting & Child Mortality) of the four indicators used in the GHI calculation pertain solely to child health. Govt has argued that such indicators cannot accurately represent the entire population’s hunger status. 

2. Calculation of Undernourishment- The significant indicator-‘Proportion of Undernourished population’- relies on a limited opinion poll of only 3,000 individuals. Govt of India has challenged the legitimacy of drawing nationwide conclusions from such a limited sample size.

3. Use of Child Mortality as an indicator- Use of Child mortality as an indicator of GHI is based on the assumption that Child mortality is directly linked to hunger. However government has challenged this assumption. Govt has asserted that child mortality is influenced by multifaceted factors, making it an insufficient metric for evaluating hunger levels.

4. GHI data contradicts with Poshan Tracker Data of Indian govt- The government has highlighted a significant disparity between the GHI 2023’s data of 18.7% child wasting rate and Poshan Tracker’s data of ~7.2% child wasting rate.

What are the causes of Hunger in India?

Despite Indian Government’s categorical rejection of the methodology of Global Hunger Index, we can not be oblivious to the presence of hunger and malnutrition in the country. Government of India’s NHFS data has confirmed the presence of large number of Wasted and stunted Children. Listed below are the reasons for the hunger and malnutrition in India-

1. Declining agriculture output from small and marginal holdings- Almost 50 million households in India are dependent on small and marginal holdings. However the agricultural productivity of these holdings is declining due to reduced soil fertility, fragmented lands and fluctuating market prices. 

2. Declining income levels- The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18 has revealed that rural unemployment stood is at 6.1 per cent, which is the highest since 1972-73. These have adverse effects on the capacity to buy adequate food, especially when food prices have been on the rise.

3. Ineffective implementation of PDS scheme- PDS scheme is not functioning well in many states due to corruption and inclusion errors.

4. Protein hunger- Pulses are a major panacea to address protein hunger. However, there is a lack of budgetary allocation for inclusion of pulses in PDS. Also there is no inclusion of eggs in the mid-day meal menus of many states.

5. Micro-nutrient deficiency (hidden hunger)- India faces a severe crisis in micro-nutrient deficiency due to poor dietary intakes, prevalence of diseases & non-fulfilment of increased micro-nutrient needs during pregnancy and lactation.

What steps have been taken by Government to reduce hunger in India?

Government of India has taken the following steps to fight the hunger and malnutrition in India-

1. Implementation of National Food Security Act 2013- It has legally entitled 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.

2. Launch of POSHAN Abhiyan- It has been launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2018. It targets to reduce stunting, under nutrition, anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls).

3. Food Fortification Programs- Food Fortification or Food Enrichment is the addition of key vitamins and minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, Vitamin A & D to staple foods such as rice, milk and salt to improve their nutritional content. Food fortification has been launched by the government to fight the micro-nutrient deficiency(hidden hunger).

4. Eat Right India Movement- An outreach activity organised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for citizens to nudge them towards healthy eating.

What should be the way forward to fight hunger in India?

Listed below are the recommendations of the Global Hunger Report that should be implemented to fight hunger and malnutrition in India.

1. Focus on small and marginal holdings- A renewed focus on small and marginal holdings is imperative as it would ensure food security in the country.

2. Dietary supplements in Mid day meals- Mid-day meals in Anganwadis and Schools must include dietary supplements so as to reduce micro-nutrient deficiency. 

3. Give boost to rural employment schemes- Rural employment schemes such as MGNREGA should be given a boost to increase employment and wages. This will enable the rural population to ensure their food security.

4. Streamline PDS System- Access to food grains under the PDS needs to be streamlined by simplifying technical processes and reducing Aadhaar-related glitches. Also ‘One Nation One ration Card’ scheme’s implementation must be thoroughly monitored.