How India’s G20 presidency can address global hunger

Source- The post is based on the article “How India’s G20 presidency can address global hunger” published in “The Indian Express” on 16th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Issues related to poverty and hunger

Relevance- hunger related challenges at global level and India role in ending it

News– The G-20 ministerial meeting on agriculture will take place in Hyderabad.

What are the challenges faced by the international community on the hunger front?

For the first time in decades, there is a rising number of hungry people. This is despite the fact that the world produces enough food to feed 10 billion people.

Today, more than 800 million people sleep hungry. Many of them are small-scale farmers who produce one-third of the world’s food.

Hunger is rural. Three-fourths of the world’s poorest and food insecure live in rural areas. Rural economies, specifically agriculture, have suffered from chronic under-investment.

Low- and middle-income countries are increasingly indebted. Global inflation and local currency depreciation is creating issues in financing their development and climate action.

Donor support for agriculture has stagnated at 4-6% of total official development assistance (ODA) for at least two decades. After peaking at US$10.8 billion in 2020, it fell 10% to US$9.9 billion in 2021.

Estimates suggest that there is a need for US$300-400 billion annually until 2030 to transform food systems. So investment needs to grow at least 30 times.

Why is investment in rural agriculture a win-win situation for both governments and companies?

For governments, boosting local production, local food chains and local markets means global food security, jobs and less conflict. It will also mean lower GHG emissions.

For the private sector, investing in small-scale farmers is beneficial. Production costs are low, returns on capital are high. Farmer organisations and cooperatives have shown they can achieve economies of scale.

These investments can build long-term resilience and reduce the impact of climate change and other shocks.

Every US$1 spent on resilience saves up to US$10 in emergency aid in the future. Investing in agriculture is at least 2-3 times more effective in reducing poverty than investment in other sectors.

Why does India’s G-20 presidency assume critical importance in tackling the challenges related to hunger?

India’s G-20 presidency assumes critical importance in mobilising resources. It can ensure that every person has access to affordable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food.

It can be done by increasing digitisation, making insurance attractive for farmers and insurers, providing access to easy and discounted loans, securing land rights and strengthening farmers’ organisations.

India is a crucial partner in the mission to end rural poverty and hunger. Leveraging the panchayat system, India has successfully built robust community institutions. They have strengthened people’s ability to manage their own development.

These experiences are an inspiration for countries attempting to become food secure. India has shown thoughtful leadership in advancing South-South and triangular cooperation. This has only deepened with its increasing economic weight.

The Indian presidency has committed to depoliticise the global supply of food, fertilisers and medical products, so that geopolitical tensions do not lead to humanitarian crises.