FOOD SECURITY

India attained self-sufficiency in food by late 1980s, though food security still evades the country. Food security means making food available at affordable prices at all times, to all, without interruptions. Though India’s GDP growth has been impressive and the agricultural production has also increased over the past few decades, hunger and starvation still persist among the poorer sections of the population.

Lack of food security hampers the nutritional profile of the vulnerable section of the population. Calorie and protein intake of a large number of people in India, specially in rural areas, are lower than normal.31 As per the State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2015 (FAO) , India has the second highest number of undernourished people at 194.6 million which is around

15.2 per cent of the world’s total undernourished population.

Two important things need attention regarding India’s food security –

(i) Around 27 per cent of India’s population is BPL and a greater portion

(one conservative estimate puts it at 75 per cent) of their household income is spent on food.

(ii) There is a strong correlation between stability in agricultural production and food security. Volatility in agricultural production impacts food supplies and can result in spikes in food prices, which adversely affect the lowest income groups of the population.

Therefore, along with provision of food subsidy, stability in agricultural commodity prices is essential for making the poorer sections food secure. It means, in the direction of assuring food security, India needs to tackle mainly two hurdles–

(i) Enhancing its food production : If food (i.e., foodgrains) is to be supplied to all today India will face deficit of around 30 million tonnes of foodgrains. This shows the food insecurity dimension of India.

(ii) Strengthening supply chain: Managing the issues like storage, transportation, proper retailing and integrating the segmented agri- markets into a national agrimarket.

Due to high level of undernourishment and volatility in agricultural prices, India has one of the largest number of food schemes in the World to ensure food security –

(i) There is entitlement feeding programmes like the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS – covers all Children under six, pregnant and lactating mothers)

(ii) Mid Day Meal Schemes(MDMS),

(iii) Food subsidy programmes like the Targeted Public Distribution System (through which the National Food Security Act is being implemented)

(iv) Annapurna (10 kgs of free food grain for destitute poor) and the

(v) Employment Programmes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (100 days of employment at minimum wages) to ensure food security.

Till the vulnerable population is not enabled with the market-linked purchasing capacity, these programmes will be relevant in case ensuring food security in the country. There is a need to run these schemes with utmost focus of the beneficiaries.