Editorial 1: A food-sufficient India needs to be hunger-free too

Context

There needs to be a transformation of India’s agri-food system, ensuring that healthy diets are available and affordable for all.

Introduction

Ending hunger, food insecurity and any form of malnutrition is one of the Sustainable Development Goals set to be realised by 2030. Such a goal is far removed from its realisation given rising conflicts, climate vulnerability and extremes as well as economic slowdown in regions that remain vulnerable and food deficient.

• Food insecurity and malnutrition are a manifestation of a lack of access to and the unaffordability of healthy diets.
• Food sufficiency serves as a pre-requisite to address hunger. But for a nation to be food sufficient, it needs to have an ideal distributional mechanism that ensures universal access to food that is affordable.
• Balanced food intake:  adequate food does not necessarily imply balanced food intake with all required nutrients to address the concern of malnourishment.
• Need for transformation: A transformation from a hunger-free environment to a nutritionally compliant one needs to take into account the unaffordability of healthy diets, unhealthy food intakes and their underlying inequalities across the population segment.

A lack of purchasing capacity

• The global hunger assessment: based on the prevalence of undernourishment shows a continuing lack of progress towards the goal of zero hunger.
• The global magnitude of the undernourished: has risen to 9.4%, or 757 million people as of 2023.
  • It is disproportionate in the African region with 20.4% facing hunger.
• Hunger prevalence by region: In comparison, 8.1% in Asia, 6.2% in Latin America and the Caribbean and 7.3% in Oceania are undernourished.
  • However, in real counts, Asia is home to the largest magnitude of those who are hungry — 384.5 million — as compared with 298.4 million in Africa.
• The projected trends: too are more disappointing in the sense that by the end of this decade, i.e., 2030, half of the world’s hungry/undernourished will be in Africa.
• Rural Bias: The other distinct feature of undernourishment is its rural bias with a marginal advantage in urban and semi-urban areas.
• Gender Bias: The gender divide in this adversity disadvantages women over men although such a divide is narrowing.

Food insecurity and purchasing capacity

• Purchasing capacity: While food insecurity results in undernourishment or manifestation of hunger, the intrinsic connect lies with the lack of a purchasing capacity for adequate food. In this perspective, the cost and affordability of a healthy diet (CoHD) assumes significance.
• The cost of a healthy diet has risen in recent years world-wide, peaking at an average of 3.96 purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars per person per day in 2022.
• Regional variation: This undoubtedly varies across world regions in PPP terms, with the same being at $4.20 in Asia.
• Affordability trends: Despite rising CoHD, those unable to afford a healthy diet at the global level decreased from 2.88 billion in 2021 to 2.83 billion in 2022.
  • However, in low-income countries, many still lack access to a healthy diet. This is a real threat to the dream target of zero hunger in the world by 2030.

Solution to hunger

• A practical solution lies in regulating food prices and a reduced share of food expenditure in the total expenditure that makes healthy diets universally affordable.
• On this count the Indian scene is examined with a focus on thalinomics that contemplates rising affordability for a nutritionally compliant meal for every Indian.

Indian food security (2011 data)

• A recent exploration shows that the share of the rural Indian population in 2011 unable to afford the cost of a required diet (CoRD) even with 100% income spent on food would be 63.3% or 527.4 million.
• There is a lack of improvement in food security and uneven progress in economic access to healthy diets.
• For this to change, there needs to be a transformation of India’s agri-food system so that it builds resilience in its major drivers and addresses inequalities, ensuring that healthy diets are available and affordable for all.

Unhealthy diets in India

• Unhealthy diets in India: Diets in India are generally unhealthy and there is an imbalance in composition in relation to the EAT-Lancet reference (‘the first full scientific review of what constitutes a healthy diet from a sustainable food system’) or the recommendations by the Indian Council of Medical Research.
  • Qualifying such reference diets would not be affordable for much of the low income population.
• High costs In South Asia: a reference diet might cost 60% of the mean daily per capita household income.
• The lack of affordability of healthy foods may be one of the reasons for their low consumption in India.
• Subsidies and price regulation: of basic food such as cereals in India, low affordability may not be the sole reason for non-compliance with required food intake.
• Dietary habits of wealthy households: Evidence suggests that the richest 5% of Indian households too consume less of protein rich food against processed food.
  • This points to a lack of availability, accessibility, awareness, and acceptability being the other major causes for the poor quality of diets.

On the Global Hunger Index

• Controversy around Global Hunger Index (GHI): Going back to the assessment of hunger globally and in India, there is continuing controversy in relation to the GHI that places India poorly in relation to other nations.
  • However, close attention to this issue has not been given as the GHI connects less with hunger per say.
  • This is because its components are more about nutrition and early age mortality.
  •  The realistic hunger domain may go well beyond food insecurity and nutritional compliance to the basics of having a square meal a day.
• Statistics from our own surveys: This is a statistic that is much available in our own surveys which shows the number of meals consumed by individuals in the last 30 days.
  • Such information reveals the average number of meals consumed in a day.
• According to these statistics by the NSSO: on the recent consumption expenditure surveys, 3.2% of the Indian population are not compliant with a minimum of 60 meals in a month, which is equal to a square meal a day.
  • In fact, more than 50% of the population are reported to have three meals a day.
  • Using the calculation of those who fall short of having two square meals a day, one arrives at the calculation of 2.5% of the population that might fall under this category.
  • In a population of 140 crore, this can be calculated as 3.5 crore, which is still a number that cannot be ignored.

Conclusion

World Food Day this year has the theme ‘Right to foods for a better life and a better future’, which highlights the significance of a hunger-free world with the universal right to food. Although a right to food campaign in India has gained sufficient momentum to ensure food security for every citizen, the ground reality reflects some failure. There are situations and circumstances wherein individuals may go hungry as they do not have the means to buy food. But mechanisms to provide free food by setting up food banks that evolve as a way to avoid food waste may be an ideal alternative. Discouraging food waste and organising proper food collection and distribution may be a step in ensuring that no one is left hungry. A nation that is proud about being self-sufficient in its food needs to qualify as being a hunger-free nation as well. Food sufficient regions in the world should ensure redistribution in a humanitarian manner so that the food deficient ones are not left out.

Editorial 2: Food access is about equitable agrifood systems

Context

Addressing food inequality and ensuring that everyone has access to nutritious food are essential steps.

Introduction

October 16, 2024 is World Food Day with the theme this year being ‘right to foods for a better life and a better future’. The theme highlights the importance of access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food for all. The Rome-based agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are collaborating with the Government of India to uphold this human right, which is essential for healthy, productive lives free from hunger and malnutrition.

Current Global Context

• Food security is vital for individual well-being and social stability.
• Access to food supports peaceful, prosperous communities.
• The FAO’s 2024 report estimates that 733 million people face hunger, highlighting the urgency of addressing food insecurity.

Indian context

• India’s Green Revolution: was crucial for food availability.
  • Now, the focus includes nutrition, which is vital for children’s development and economic productivity.
• Initiatives such as the White Revolution in milk and the Blue Transformation in fisheries have transformed India’s agrifood system.
• Importance of diversity and nutrition: These efforts highlight the need for diverse food sources, ensuring safe and nutritious food for everyone.
• Addressing inequalities: We can address inequalities and empower marginalised communities by prioritising the right to food and nutrition security.

India’s journey towards food security

• India has made significant strides in food security over the past 60 years.
• Once a food-deficient nation, it has transformed itself into a food-surplus country, driven by the Green Revolution, effective policies, advancements from institutions such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and improved supply chains.
• Millions have contributed to ensuring reliable food access for India’s growing population, even in these challenging times.

Factors behind India’s Food Security success

• A key pillar of India’s food security is the of 2013, which provides food entitlements to over 800 million citizens.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently approved the distribution of fortified rice from July 2024 to December 2028, reflecting India’s commitment to improving nutrition and food security.
• India’s food safety systems reflect a strong commitment to preventing hunger among its citizens.
• The effective collaboration between national policies and local initiatives showcases the robustness of the country’s food security framework.
• As India advances, these systems will be crucial for fostering resilience to future environmental, economic, or health-related issues.

Challenges in the agriculture sector

• While India’s agricultural sector is the cornerstone of its economy, it faces several challenges.
• Stakeholders impacted: Of its 93.09 million agrarian households, approximately 82% are small and marginal farmers holding less than two hectares of land.
  • These farmers encounter various difficulties that impact productivity and rural livelihoods.

What are the challenges faced by Small and Marginal Farmers?

• Natural resource degradation challenges us.
• Overusing groundwater strains water tables while chemical fertilizers and monocropping harm soil and agricultural productivity.
• Ongoing improvements in water usage and soil management are crucial.
• Improving tech access: Fragmented landholding limits smallholder farmers’ adoption of modern techniques, reducing productivity and income.
  • Enhancing access to appropriate technologies is vital.
• Improving market access: Many smallholder farmers need help accessing markets effectively due to infrastructure limitations and supply chain inefficiencies.
• Linking production to markets: By facilitating better links between production and markets, farmers can increase their incomes and reduce food waste.
• Rural poverty and inequality also present ongoing challenges.
  • Ensuring that small and marginal farmers can access financial services, technology and modern irrigation systems will be vital for improving agricultural productivity and enhancing their livelihoods.
• Climate Change risks: While climate change continues to pose risks to agriculture, including erratic weather patterns, addressing these risks through sustainable agricultural practices such as water conservation and soil health restoration can help to build resilience in farming communities.

Government and International Support

• The Rome-based agencies and the Government of India also promote natural resource management, market access and modern agricultural practices.
  •  By providing education, technology, financial support and resources to vulnerable communities, we aim to empower smallholder farmers and create a sustainable agricultural system that ensures food security and rural prosperity.
• The Right to Food extends beyond agriculture and touches the lives of all citizens, including the millions living in non-agricultural households.
  • Access to safe, nutritious and affordable food is a fundamental human right for all, regardless of employment or location.
• Empowering small farmers:  With increasing urbanisation, ensuring food security for non-farming families is as important as supporting rural farmers.

Food System Resilience

• Ensuring Food availability: for non-agricultural households relies on a resilient food system.
• Addressing food inequality: and ensuring everyone has access to nutritious food, especially in urban areas, are essential.
• Strong social safety nets: Along with the market interventions are crucial for stabilising prices and supporting the most vulnerable.
• The Public Distribution System: India has made significant progress in ensuring food access across agricultural and non-agricultural households.
• Continued efforts are necessary to address food access inequalities and ensure that everyone benefits from India’s agricultural advancements.

Conclusion: Collective responsibility

On World Food Day 2024, we are reminded that ensuring food access is not just about increasing production but also building equitable, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems that work for everyone. The partnership between the FAO, the IFAD, the WFP, and the Government of India underscores our collective responsibility to achieve food security. We must continue to support both farmers and non-agricultural families, strengthen livelihoods, and reduce food inequalities, ensuring that no one is left behind in our collective responsibility to achieve the foundation for a healthier, more prosperous, and peaceful society where everyone can contribute to and benefit from a better life and a better future.