A Food-Sufficient India Needs to Be Hunger-Free Too

Why in News?

• The aim of ending hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition by 2030 is a critical component of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• However, achieving this goal appears increasingly difficult, with factors such as rising conflicts, climate change, and economic slowdowns threatening progress, particularly in vulnerable and food-deficient regions.
• Therefore, it is important to have an assessment on the current state of global hunger, the challenges in achieving food security, and the necessary measures to ensure a transition from mere food sufficiency to widespread nutritional well-being.

The Global State of Hunger and the Role of Economic Access in Food Security

• Prevalence of Hunger
  • The global prevalence of hunger remains alarmingly high, with progress towards achieving the goal of zero hunger lagging.
  • According to recent data, 9.4% of the world's population, or approximately 757 million people, are undernourished as of 2023.
  • The problem is particularly acute in Africa, where 20.4% of the population faces hunger, compared to 8.1% in Asia, 6.2% in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 7.3% in Oceania.
  • Despite a lower percentage, Asia has the largest number of undernourished individuals, with 384.5 million people facing hunger, followed by 298.4 million in Africa.
• Increasing Undernourished Population
  • Projections indicate that by 2030, Africa will be home to half of the world's undernourished population.
  • The distribution of undernourishment is also uneven within regions, showing a rural bias where rural areas fare worse than urban and semi-urban areas.
  • Additionally, there is a gender dimension to hunger, with women being more disadvantaged than men, although this gap is narrowing.
  • Addressing these disparities is crucial for achieving global food security and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of location or gender, have access to sufficient and nutritious food.
• The Role of Economic Access in Food Security: Lack of Purchasing Power
  • One of the primary reasons behind food insecurity is the lack of purchasing power to afford adequate diets.
  • The cost of a healthy diet (CoHD) has increased globally, reaching an average of 3.96 purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars per person per day in 2022.
  • This cost varies across regions, with Asia experiencing a higher average of $4.20 per day.
  • Despite this increase, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet decreased slightly from 2.88 billion in 2021 to 2.83 billion in 2022.
  • However, in low-income countries, access to healthy diets remains a significant challenge.

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) and the Indian Context

• The GHI has often been a topic of debate, especially in relation to India’s ranking.
• Critics argue that the GHI’s focus on indicators like nutrition and early-age mortality may not fully capture the broader reality of hunger.
• In India, data from surveys like those conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) provide insights into actual food consumption patterns.
• For example, recent statistics show that 3.2% of the population does not meet the minimum requirement of 60 meals per month, while more than half of the population has three meals per day.
• This reveals that, while a majority of the population has access to food, a significant number still face challenges in securing even basic sustenance.

The Challenges of Unhealthy Diets in India

• Affordability of Healthy Foods
  • A primary challenge in promoting healthy diets in India is the affordability of nutrient-rich foods.
  • According to the EAT-Lancet Commission, a healthy diet includes a variety of food groups, such as fruits, vegetables, protein sources (especially plant-based), and whole grains.
  • However, these foods can be expensive for a significant portion of India's population.
  • For example, studies have shown that adopting a diet aligned with the EAT-Lancet reference might cost up to 60% of the mean daily per capita household income in South Asia.
  • This makes it difficult for many low-income families to incorporate these foods into their diets regularly.
• Cultural Preferences and Dietary Habits
  • Cultural factors and traditional dietary habits play a significant role in shaping food choices in India.
  • While Indian diets are diverse, many are heavily reliant on staple grains such as rice and wheat.
  • These staples often dominate meal composition, leading to an imbalance when it comes to the intake of other essential food groups, like proteins and healthy fats.
  • Protein-rich foods such as lentils, eggs, dairy products, and meats are sometimes seen as supplementary rather than integral to daily diets.
• Awareness and Knowledge Gaps
  • A lack of awareness about what constitutes a balanced diet contributes significantly to unhealthy eating patterns in India.
  • Many people are unaware of the specific nutrient requirements for different stages of life, such as childhood, pregnancy, and old age.
  • For example, the importance of protein-rich foods, iron-rich greens, and calcium-rich dairy products is often underappreciated, particularly in rural areas where access to nutritional education is limited.
• The Role of Government Policies and Subsidies
  • Government policies and subsidies also shape dietary patterns in India.
  • Programs like the Public Distribution System (PDS) focus primarily on providing staple grains like rice and wheat at subsidised rates.
  • While these programs are crucial in addressing hunger and food security, they do not necessarily promote a diverse or balanced diet.
  • The limited focus on pulses, fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods in such programs means that many households primarily rely on carbohydrates for their daily energy intake.

Necessary Measures to Ensure a Transition from Mere Food Sufficiency to Nutritional Well-Being

• Addressing the Challenge of Unhealthy Diets
  • To overcome the challenge of unhealthy diets in India, a multi-pronged approach is needed.
  • Educational campaigns that emphasise the benefits of balanced diets, especially in rural and low-income areas, can play a significant role in shifting dietary habits.
  • Additionally, government policies should prioritise not just food security but also nutritional security by ensuring that programs like the PDS include a wider range of nutrient-rich foods.
• Need for a Cultural Shift
  • It is important to develop a cultural shift towards valuing nutrition as part of daily life.
  • This includes dispelling myths around traditional diets and introducing people to new, healthy recipes that incorporate a variety of food groups.
• Regulating Prices, Availability of Fresh Foods, and Food Banks
  • Efforts to make healthy foods more affordable, such as regulating the prices of essential food items and encouraging local production, are also crucial.
  • Moreover, increasing the availability of fresh produce in both urban and rural areas through better infrastructure and distribution networks can help improve access to nutritious foods.
  • Encouraging local food banks, reducing food waste, and promoting community-supported agriculture are steps that can ensure that surplus food reaches those who need it most.
• Need for a Humanitarian Approach to Food Distribution
  • For countries that are proud of being self-sufficient in food production, achieving true success means going beyond sufficiency to becoming hunger-free.
  • This involves adopting a humanitarian approach to food distribution, where surplus food in one region can be redirected to food-deficient areas.
  • Ultimately, the global community must work together to address inequalities, build resilience in food systems, and ensure that nutritious diets are within reach for everyone.

Conclusion

• Achieving the goal of ending hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition by 2030 is an urgent priority, but progress remains uneven due to economic disparities, regional vulnerabilities, and rising food costs.
• Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach, including reforms in food distribution systems, awareness campaigns, and initiatives to make healthy diets more affordable.
• By focusing on sustainable solutions and fostering global cooperation, the world can move closer to a future where hunger is eradicated and every individual has access to a better life through the right to nutritious food.