{"id":95231,"date":"2026-03-27T17:57:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T12:27:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=95231"},"modified":"2026-03-27T17:57:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T12:27:33","slug":"iied-food-security-index","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/iied-food-security-index\/","title":{"rendered":"IIED Food Security Index, Key Findings, Implications for India"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has developed a <\/span><b>Food Security Index (FSI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The IIED Food Security Index <\/span><b>highlights the increasing vulnerability of global food systems in the face of climate change<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It shows that rising temperatures are likely to undermine not just food production, but also access, nutrition, and the resilience of food systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is the IIED Food Security Index?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The IIED Food Security Index evaluates food security across 162 countries, measuring the vulnerability of entire food systems under different climate scenarios such as 1.5\u00b0C, 2\u00b0C, and higher warming levels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It assesses food security based on four key pillars:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Availability<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Sufficient production and supply of food<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Accessibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Economic and physical access to food<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Utilisation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Nutritional quality and the body\u2019s ability to absorb nutrients<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sustainability (Resilience)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Capacity of food systems to withstand shocks<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This multidimensional approach makes the index more comprehensive than traditional measures focused only on production or consumption.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Key Findings of IIED Food Security Index<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The IIED Food Security Index highlights the growing vulnerability of global food systems under climate change, revealing that rising temperatures could significantly undermine food availability, accessibility, nutrition, and resilience particularly in developing countries like India.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>India among the most vulnerable large economies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: India\u2019s food security position is already below the global average, with a baseline score of 5.31 compared to 6.74 globally, and is projected to decline further under warming scenarios. This indicates increasing risks in ensuring adequate, affordable, and nutritious food, especially for vulnerable populations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sharp decline in food security under warming scenarios<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The index projects that India\u2019s food security score could fall to 4.96 at 1.5\u00b0C warming and 4.52 at 2\u00b0C, showing that even moderate temperature increases can significantly weaken food systems and access to nutrition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Widening global inequality in food security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/climate-change\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Climate change<\/strong><\/a> is expected to widen the gap between rich and poor countries, with low-income nations in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa experiencing the steepest decline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Large global population already food insecure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Currently, about 4.56 billion people (59% of the global population) live in countries with below-average food security. With 2\u00b0C warming, an additional 291 million people could fall into this category, intensifying global hunger and malnutrition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Climate change affects all four pillars of food security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Rising temperatures and climate shocks impact availability, accessibility, utilisation, and sustainability of food systems. However, sustainability and utilisation are the most climate-sensitive, leading to early impacts on nutrition, health, and resilience.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Decline in food availability and dietary diversity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Under higher warming scenarios, countries, especially poorer ones will face reduced food production and lower dietary diversity, increasing the risk of malnutrition and hunger.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Economic growth alone is insufficient<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The study finds that while higher income improves food access marginally, it does not ensure resilience. A $1,000 increase in per capita GDP raises food security only slightly (around 0.2 points), with minimal improvement in sustainability, showing limits of growth-led solutions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Interconnected global food systems amplify risks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Climate shocks in one major agricultural region can disrupt global supply chains, causing price volatility and shortages worldwide, meaning even developed countries are indirectly vulnerable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increase in countries facing critical food insecurity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The number of countries facing severe food insecurity could nearly triple to 24 under a 2\u00b0C warming scenario, indicating a potential rise in humanitarian crises.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Disproportionate burden on low-income countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Low-income countries, which contribute only about 1% of global emissions, are projected to see food insecurity rise by around 22%, compared to a much smaller increase in high-income nations, highlighting issues of climate justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Risk of global instability and migration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Severe food insecurity in fragile and conflict-prone regions may lead to state instability, forced migration, and geopolitical tensions, making food security a national and global security concern.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>IIED Food Security Index Implications for India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For India, the findings of the IIED Food Security Index carry serious policy implications, as structural vulnerabilities combined with climate stress could significantly weaken the country\u2019s food security landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High dependence on monsoon-based agriculture increases vulnerability<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large population and existing issues of malnutrition and poverty worsen risks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate change may impact food affordability and nutritional outcomes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regional disparities could deepen, affecting rural and marginal communities the most<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addressing the growing threat of food insecurity in a warming world requires a comprehensive and resilience-oriented policy approach that integrates social protection, sustainable agriculture, and global cooperation.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen social safety nets to protect vulnerable populations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promote climate-resilient agriculture (crop diversification, drought-resistant seeds)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improve water management and soil conservation<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Invest in sustainable and resilient food systems<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhance global cooperation due to interconnected risks<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IIED Food Security Index measures food system vulnerability across 162 countries under climate change, covering availability, access, nutrition, and resilience with key global 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