Methodology of Global Hunger Index has been rightly criticised. But conversation must go on

Source: The post is based on the article “Methodology of Global Hunger Index has been rightly criticised. But conversation must go on” published in Indian Express on 14th October 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Governance- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

News: The article discusses India’s ranking and issues in the Global Hunger Index. It highlights government criticisms, the struggles with undernutrition, and challenges in implementing food security and nutrition policies, emphasizing the need for reliable data.

Why is India’s GHI ranking problematic?

India’s Rank: India is placed 111th out of 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI).

Government’s Objection: The Indian government strongly disagrees with the ranking and is upset about it.

Methodology Issues: The government points out that three out of four indicators in the GHI focus on children’s health, which may not reflect the whole population’s status.

Small Sample Size: The argument also includes criticism of the small sample size of 3,000 for determining the proportion of undernourished people, calling it non-representative.

Previous Rank: Notably, India has fallen four places from its rank in the previous year.

What are the challenges faced by India in addressing malnutrition?

Social Inequalities: Social disparities, particularly affecting marginalized communities, limit access to nutritional schemes and benefits.

Economic Inequalities: Economic barriers make it hard for poor people to access nutritious food and benefits from government schemes.

Gender Discrimination: Discrimination against women and girls often results in them having less access to necessary nutrition.

Incomplete Data: Lack of updated and complete data on household spending and consumption hampers the creation of effective policies.

Inadequate Diets: A high percentage of children (89% between 6-23 months) do not receive a minimum acceptable diet, indicating policy reach and effectiveness issues.

Widespread Anaemia: The persistence of anaemia across various demographic groups poses an additional health and nutrition challenge.

What should be done?

Address Criticisms: While the government criticizes the Global Hunger Index, acknowledging and addressing the persistent undernutrition issues is vital.

Focus on Micro-Nutrients: Scholars suggest moving beyond just calorie intake to also focus on vitamin and micro-nutrient deficiencies in diet policies.

Empower Women: Emphasizing women’s empowerment is essential as it significantly impacts household nutrition and health decisions.

Update Data: Current data on per capita household spending is over 10 years old; updating this data will facilitate better policy-making.

Make Data Public: The results of the Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CES) 2022-23 need to be made public to enhance transparency and understanding of household consumption.

Enhanced Implementation: Improved and more inclusive implementation of policies like Poshan 2.0 is necessary to effectively combat malnutrition and hunger.