Has hunger increased in India in recent years?:

Has hunger increased in India in recent years?:

Context:

• The Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has ranked India at the 100th position among 119 countries in its 2017 Global Hunger Index (GHI) rankings.
• These findings have created an impression that the prevalence of hunger has increased in India in recent years.

On what basis the ranking has been done?

• The 2017 GHI rankings are based on the percentage of under-nourished population and three health indicators for children aged less than five years:
• wasting (low weight for height)
• stunting (low height for age) and mortality.
• The actual score is a weighted average of standardized values of these four indicators.
• Under-nourishment and under-five mortality have a weight of one-third while stunting and wasting have one-sixth weights each.

What is Global Hunger Index?

• The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger globally and by country and region.
• The Index was adopted and further developed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Significance:

• The Index ranks countries on a 100-point scale, with 0 being the best score (no hunger) and 100 being the worst.
• Global Hunger Index highlights successes and failures in hunger reduction and provides insights into the drivers of hunger.

What is International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)?

• The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.
• Its mission is to provide research-based policy solutions that sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition.

What are the major objectives of IFPRI?

• Ensuring Sustainable Food Production: IFPRI’s research analyzes options for policies, institutions, innovations, and technologies that can advance sustainable food production in a context of resource scarcity, threats to biodiversity, and climate change.
• Promoting Healthy Food Systems: IFPRI examines how to improve diet quality and nutrition for the poor, focusing particularly on women and children, and works to create synergies among the three vital components of the food system: agriculture, health, and nutrition.
• Improving Markets and Trade: IFPRI’s research focuses on strengthening markets and correcting market failures to enhance the benefits from market participation for small-scale farmers.
• Transforming Agriculture: The aim of IFPRI’s research in this area is to accelerate the transformation from low-income, rural, agriculture-based economies to high-income, more urbanized, and industrial service-based ones.
• Building Resilience: IFPRI’s research explores the causes and impacts of environmental factors that can affect food security, nutrition, health, and well-being
• Strengthening Institutions and Governance: IFPRI’s research on institutions centers on collective action in management of natural resources and farmer organizations.

What are the causes of India’s poor performance at GHI?

• Improper implementation: A major hindrance in fighting starvation in India is the lack of proper implementation of government schemes which are directed towards providing food for one and all
• Corruption is the root cause: corruption on the local levels or there is a disinterest among the government officials to ensure that the schemes are properly being carried out.
• Flawed food distribution system: Almost 51% of the food delivered is lost to leakages and is sold in the open market for a higher price.

What are the factors causing malnutrition in India?

• Lack of awareness: Lack of awareness among people about sufficient health and nutrition is the primary reason (about wholesome, balanced and natural diets; healthy child-feeding and caring practices)
• Access to nutritious food: People’s access to sufficient and nutritious food is equally important, which is still to be addressed
• Loopholes in the National Food Security Bill: Clear mechanisms with respect to the identification of beneficiaries have not been defined.
• The bill states that the states will provide the list of the poor but the states obviously do not possess such records.

What is the way ahead?

• One effort to address the hunger (and nutrition) challenge is the enactment of the National Food Security Act.
• To improve nutritional content in food products, steps must be taken towards universal food fortification.
• Adequate funding is required for the effective implementation of any nutrition scheme.
• Many of the causes for the occurrence of malnutrition is known, however attention needs to be paid to understanding what prevents the nation from achieving its goals related to nutrition.
• Attention needs to be paid on building neighborhood health and nutrition profiles and carrying out interventions based on identified needs.