FAO report on food security in India

Source: The post FAO report on food security in India has been created, based on the article “Ending hunger: Government must address malnutrition” published in “Business Standard” on 8th August 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3-food security

Context: The article discusses the FAO report on food security in India. It highlights India’s progress in reducing hunger and malnutrition. However, challenges remain with high food insecurity, increased obesity rates, and the rising cost of a healthy diet.

For detailed information on Food Security and Nutrition Report 2023 read this article here

How Has Global Hunger Changed?

1. Global hunger increased sharply from 2019 to 2021.
2. This rise was followed by stagnation in the next three years.
3. By 2030, 582 million people are expected to remain chronically undernourished.
4. Most of these undernourished people will be in Africa and South Asia.
5. The prevalence of food insecurity globally is expected to stay above pre-pandemic levels.

What is the Outcome of FAO report on food security in India?

A. Positive Outcomes

1.Reduction in Hunger: Hunger decreased from 16.6% (2020-22) to 13.7% (2021-23).

1. Improvement in Child Nutrition: Stunting in children under five declined by 10 percentage points to 31.7% between 2012 and 2022.
2. Decrease in Low Birth Weight: The proportion of children born with low birth weight dropped by about 2 percentage points to 27.4%.
3. Increase in Breastfeeding: Exclusive breastfeeding among infants increased by 17 percentage points in a decade.

B. Negative Outcomes

1. 1High Food Insecurity: Despite improvements, food insecurity remains high.
2. Persistent Wasting and Anemia: India still has the highest prevalence of wasting and anemia in South Asia.
3. Rising Diet Costs: The cost of a healthy diet has increased, making it unaffordable for 55.6% of the population in 2022.
4. Increased Obesity: The proportion of overweight children rose from 2.2% to 2.8% between 2012 and 2022, reflecting a double burden of malnutrition.

How Effective Are Government Interventions?

1. Free Food Grain Distribution: The government provides free food grain under the National Food Security Act to eligible populations.
2. Budget Outlay: Despite increased efforts, the budget for Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 decreased from last year’s revised estimate.
3. Nutrition Programs: There has been only a slight increase in funding for nutrition interventions.

Question for practice:

Discuss the positive and negative outcomes of the FAO report on food security in India.