{"id":71214,"date":"2020-11-28T18:14:58","date_gmt":"2020-11-28T12:44:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=71214"},"modified":"2021-05-10T16:29:55","modified_gmt":"2021-05-10T10:59:55","slug":"indias-malnutrition-challenge-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/indias-malnutrition-challenge-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s malnutrition challenge 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Context:\u00a0<\/strong>There is need for an immediate universalisation of the PDS, distribution of quality food items and community kitchens.<\/p>\n

What does the recent survey\u00a0of\u00a0the Hindu\u00a0say?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
    \n
  • In this report, a schoolteacher had highlighted how girl students, who took admission in Standard five were relatively\u00a0shorter in height <\/strong>than the previous year\u2019s batch of students.<\/li>\n
  • It was largely integrated with\u00a0malnutrition<\/strong>that is burgeoning.<\/li>\n
  • Children from impoverished households not being able to have the mid-day meal many a time because of stomach-related problems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    What does the global reports say about malnutrition?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
      \n
    • The annual report on \u201cThe State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020\u201d by the Food and Agricultural Organization and the 2020 Hunger report, \u201cBetter Nutrition, Better Tomorrow\u201d by the Bread for the World Institute have stated staggering facts about\u00a0Indian food insecurity and malnutrition.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • As per\u00a0PoU\u00a0and PMSFI India is one of the\u00a0most food-insecure countries<\/strong>, with the highest rates of stunting and wasting among other South Asian countries.<\/li>\n
    • The\u00a0Prevalence of\u00a0Undernourishment(PoU)<\/strong>measures the percentage of people who are consuming insufficient calories than their required minimum dietary energy requirement.<\/li>\n
    • The\u00a0Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity<\/strong>(PMSFI)<\/strong>\u00a0identifies the percentage of people who live in households that are severely or moderately food insecure.<\/li>\n
    • Food Insecurity Experience Scale survey<\/strong>, which covers almost 90% of the world\u2019s population\u00a0but\u00a0not allowed to be conducted in India.<\/li>\n
    • It\u00a0<\/strong>indicates\u00a0that between 2014-16, about 29.1% of the total population was food insecure, which rose up to 32.9% in 2017-19.<\/li>\n
    • About 375 million of the total population was moderately or severely food insecure in 2014, which went to about 450 million in 2019.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      What are the issues currently existing?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
        \n
      • High incidence of malnutrition<\/strong>:\u00a0The reduction in poverty has been substantial going\u00a0but\u00a0malnutrition has not declined.<\/li>\n
      • Poor performance<\/strong>:\u00a0In terms of percentages, the\u00a0PoU\u00a0has declined 24.7% between 2001 and 2018 for India; other data are China (76.4%), Nepal (74%), Pakistan (42%), Afghanistan (37.4%) and Bangladesh (18.9%).<\/li>\n
      • Low consumptio<\/strong>n:\u00a0\u201cHunger Watch\u201d\u00a0survey\u00a0by the Right to Food Campaign\u00a0says\u00a0with close to one out of every three respondents reporting low food consumption and massive compromise on food quality.<\/li>\n
      • Double-whammy<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0States have temporarily expanded their coverage in the wake of the crisis, the problem of malnutrition is likely to deepen in the coming years with rising\u00a0unemployment and the deep economic slump.<\/strong><\/li>\n
      • Non inclusive National Food Security Act, 2013<\/strong>: there is\u00a0non-inclusion of nutritious food items such as pulses and exclusion of potential beneficiaries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
        What need to be done?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
          \n
        • Universalisation of the Public Distribution System<\/strong>: It\u00a0should\u00a0focus on\u00a0the distribution of quality food items and innovative interventions.<\/li>\n
        • Focus on nutrition:<\/strong>United Nations World Food Programme\u00a0should bring focus back on pressing issues of undernourishment and hunger in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          The need of the hour\u00a0is\u00a0the right utilisation and expansion of existing programmes to arrest at least some part of this burgeoning malnutrition in the country.<\/p>\n

          \n

          India\u2019s vaccination strategy needs a course correction<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n