Theme : Social Security
Paper : GS - 2
TABLE OF CONTENT
- Context
- Recent Trends in Hunger & Malnutrition
- Hidden Hunger
- Need for Ensuring Food Security
- India’s Achievements
- India’s Concerns
- Important Government Schemes
- World Food Day
- Promotion of Millets
- Road Ahead
Context : The European NGOs Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, which release the GHI annually, have ranked 107 out of 121 countries in 2022. Last year, India was ranked 101 out of 116 countries.This has put in focus the allegedly worsening condition of hunger and malnutrition across the world, especially India.
Recent Trends in Hunger & Malnutrition :
- Globally, food and nutrition security continue to be undermined by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, spiraling food inflation, conflicts like Russia- Ukraine war, and inequality. Today, around 828 million people worldwide do not have enough to eat and over 50 million people are facing severe hunger.
- Hunger Hotspots Outlook (HHO)— a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) — forebodes escalating hunger, as over 205 million people across 45 countries will need emergency food assistance to survive.
Hidden Hunger :
Hidden hunger refers to Micronutrient deficiency. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals which the body needs in small amounts. But if even this much amount of micronutrient is not available to the body, then one suffers from several disorders such as visual impairment, mental retardation, etc.
Need for Ensuring Food Security :
- Currently, around 828 million people worldwide do not have enough to eat, and over 50 million people are facing severe hunger.
- Sustainable Development Goal 2 aims to end world hunger by 2030.
- Soil degradation by the excessive use of chemicals, non-judicious water use, and declining nutritional value of food products need urgent attention.
India’s Achievements :
- During 2021-22, it recorded $49.6 billion in total agriculture exports, a 20% increase from 2020-21.
- India’s food safety nets collectively reach over a billion people.
- India has led the global conversation on reviving millet production for better lives, nutrition, and the environment, including at the UN General Assembly, where it appealed to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
India’s Concerns :
- Recent climate shocks have raised concerns about India’s wheat and rice production over the next year.
- By 2030, India’s population is expected to rise to 1.5 billion.
- Agri-food systems will need to provide for and sustainably support an increasing population.
Important Government Schemes :
- National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013,
- the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS),
- the PM POSHAN scheme (earlier known as the Mid-Day Meals scheme), and
- the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
World Food Day
- This year’s World Food Day (October 16) has been a reminder to ensure that the most vulnerable people within our communities have easy access to safe and nutritious food. Only through collective and transformational action to strengthen agri-food systems, through better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, can we meet our promise to end hunger by 2030.
- This year’s World Food Day is a reminder to ‘Leave No One Behind’ — and is an opportunity for nations to strengthen food security nets, provide access to essential nutrition for millions and promote livelihood for vulnerable communities.
- However, the United Nation in 2022 reported that the world is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and that if recent trends continue, the number of people affected by hunger would surpass 840 million by 2030.
Promotion of Millets :
- Millet is a common term to categorize small-seeded grasses that are often termed Nutri-cereals or dryland-cereals and includes sorghum, pearl millet, ragi etc.
- Millets have recently received renewed attention as crops that are good for nutrition, health, and the planet. Millets are climate-smart crops that are drought-resistant, growing in areas with low rain and infertile soil. They require less water to cultivate (as much as 70% less than rice), and less energy to process (around 40% less than wheat). Since they need fewer inputs, they are less extractive for the soil and can revive soil health. Additionally, their genetic diversity ensures that agrobiodiversity is preserved.
- India has led the global conversation on reviving millet production for better lives, nutrition, and the environment, including at the United Nations General Assembly, where it appealed to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Indian Government declared 2018 as 'National Year of Millets’ declaring millets as “Nutri-Cereals”, considering their “high nutritive value” and also “anti-diabetic properties”.
- India is the world’s leading producer of millets, producing around 41% of total production in 2020. To enhance the area, production, and productivity of millets the national government is implementing a Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals (Millets) as part of the National Food Security Mission. Centre’s Millet Mission will focus on developing farm-gate processing and empowering farmers through collectives while focusing on value-addition and aggregation of the produce.
Road Ahead :
- Ending world hunger by 2030 is possible only through collective and transformational action to strengthen agri-food systems, better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.
- We need to move away from conventional input-intensive agriculture towards more inclusive, effective, and sustainable agri-food systems that would facilitate better production.
- Millets need fewer inputs, and they are less extractive for the soil and can revive soil health.
FAQs :
1. What is Hidden Hunger ?
Answer : Hidden hunger refers to Micronutrient deficiency. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals which the body needs in small amounts. But if even this much amount of micronutrient is not available to the body, then one suffers from several disorders such as visual impairment, mental retardation, etc.
2. When is World Food Day?
Answer : This year’s World Food Day (October 16) has been a reminder to ensure that the most vulnerable people within our communities have easy access to safe and nutritious food.