For nutrition security

For nutrition security

News:

1. India is lacking in its commitment to tackle undernourishment.

Important facts:

2. The UN’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report 2017, highlighted the ways to achieve nutritional policy reform.

3. The global agencies found that food security and better nutrition may be at risk.

4. The NITI Aayog found that families below the poverty line consumed more cereals and less milk compared to the affluent.

5. Major highlights of the report:

a) Reduction in the reduction in the rate of undernourishment since the year 2000 despite large population facing hunger and poor nutrition.

b) The estimate of 815 million people enduring chronic food deprivation in 2016, compared to 775 million in 2014, is depressing.

c) The deprivation is even greater among people who live in regions affected by conflict and the extreme effects of climate change.

d) Under-nutrition rates continue to drop, although one in four children is still affected by stunting.

6. Reasons:

• Impact of downturn
• Many violent conflicts
• Fall in community export revenues
• Failure of agriculture due to floods and drought.

7. All the above mentioned factors represent a setback to all countries trying the meet Sustainable Development Goal on ending hunger and achieving improved nutrition.

8. India’s efforts at improving access to food and good nutrition are led by the National Food Security Act.

9. Despite having special nutritional schemes for women and children, 14.5% of the population suffers from undernourishment, going by the UN’s assessment for 2014-16.

10. According to health ministry’s data , at the national level, 53% of women are anaemic.

11. Challenges:

1. Institutions like The State Food Commissions have not made a big difference.
2. Distributing nutrition food as a public health measure is still not a political imperative.