{"id":2679,"date":"2026-01-04T10:11:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T04:41:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=2679"},"modified":"2026-01-05T11:39:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T06:09:33","slug":"hunger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/hunger\/","title":{"rendered":"Issue of Hunger in India"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is hunger?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO<\/strong>) defines hunger as the habitual (or chronic)\u00a0consumption of too few calories<\/strong>\u00a0to provide the minimum dietary energy an individual requires to live a healthy and productive life. It is an uncomfortable or painful physical sensation caused by insufficient consumption of dietary energy. It is one of the significant\u00a0manifestations of\u00a0<\/strong>poverty<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Acute hunger<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\r\n
    \r\n\t
  • It designates undernourishment over a definable period. The\u00a0most extreme form of hunger<\/strong>\u00a0arises with crises like droughts from El Ni\u00f1o, wars, etc.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Chronic hunger<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\r\n
    \r\n\t
  • It designates a state of\u00a0long-term undernourishment.\u00a0<\/strong>The body absorbs less food than it needs. It usually arises in connection with poverty.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Hidden hunger<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\r\n
    \r\n\t
  • It is a form of chronic hunger. Due to an unbalanced diet, there is a\u00a0lack of important nutrients<\/strong>, such as iron, iodine, zinc, or vitamin A.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n

    What is food insecurity and how is it linked to hunger?<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
      \r\n\t
    • Food insecurity refers to the\u00a0lack of access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food<\/strong>\u00a0that meets an individual's dietary needs and preferences, resulting in inadequate or uncertain food intake.<\/li>\r\n\t
    • FAO measures food insecurity using the\u00a0Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES).<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t
    • Food insecurity and hunger are closely related concepts.\u00a0Food insecurity can lead to hunger<\/strong>, as individuals may not have enough food to meet their basic energy and nutrient needs.<\/li>\r\n\t
    • Addressing food insecurity is essential in tackling hunger, as ensuring access to sufficient and nutritious food can help to prevent malnutrition and other health problems associated with hunger.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

      What is malnutrition, and what are its manifestations?<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

      Malnutrition refers to a condition in which the body is not receiving adequate nutrients, either in quantity or quality, to maintain proper health and functioning.<\/p>\r\n

      Various manifestations of malnutrition includes:<\/p>\r\n

        \r\n\t
      • Protein hunger<\/strong>: This is the most common type of malnutrition, which occurs when the body does not get enough protein to meet its energy needs.\r\n\r\n
          \r\n\t
        • It can result in stunted growth, delayed development, weakened immune system, and other health problems.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
        • Micronutrient deficiencies<\/strong>: This type of malnutrition occurs when the body does not get enough essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron, iodine, vitamin A, and zinc.\r\n\r\n
            \r\n\t
          • This can lead to anemia, blindness, impaired immune function, and other health problems.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
          • Overnutrition<\/strong>: Overnutrition occurs when the body takes in too many calories, leading to obesity and related health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, etc.<\/li>\r\n\t
          • Undernutrition (caloric deficiency)<\/strong>: Undernutrition occurs when the body does not receive enough nutrients due to insufficient food intake or malabsorption, leading to a range of health problems, including weight loss, weakness, and nutrient deficiencies.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

            What are the various indicators used to measure hunger?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

            Global Hunger Index<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
              \r\n\t
            • The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger and undernutrition at global, regional, and national levels.<\/li>\r\n\t
            • The\u00a04 Indicators<\/strong>\u00a0of GHI are<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
              \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
              Indicator<\/strong><\/td>\r\nDescription<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
              Undernourishment<\/td>\r\n\r\n
                \r\n\t
              • Proportion of the population whose caloric needs are not met.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
              Child stunting<\/td>\r\n\r\n
                \r\n\t
              • Proportion of children under five years of age who are too short for their age, evidence of chronic undernourishment.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
              Child wasting<\/td>\r\n\r\n
                \r\n\t
              • Proportion of children under five years of age weighing too little in relation to their respective heights, evidence of acute undernourishment.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
              Child mortality<\/td>\r\n\r\n
                \r\n\t
              • Proportion of children who die before their fifth birthday, reflecting in part the fatal interaction of inadequate nutrition and an unhealthy environment.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n
                  \r\n\t
                • GHI 2022<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/strong>Global hunger, with a score of 18.2, is categorized as moderate in 2022.\r\n\r\n
                    \r\n\t
                  • India and GHI 2022<\/strong>: India ranks 107th out of 121 countries. With a score of 29.1, India has a level of hunger that is serious. In 2021, India was ranked 101 out of 116 countries<\/li>\r\n\t
                  • Recommendations<\/strong>: The report recommends that decision-makers must place inclusive local governance, accountability, and the realization of the right to food at the center of food systems transformation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                    Other global indicators:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
                      \r\n\t
                    • The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI):<\/strong>\u00a0Annual report by the FAO, which measures progress towards the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030.\r\n\r\n
                        \r\n\t
                      • Indicators: prevalence of undernourishment, stunting, and wasting.<\/li>\r\n\t
                      • SOFI 2022<\/strong>: India has high undernourishment (about 16% of the population), wasting (about 17%), stunting (about 31%), and low exclusive breastfeeding practice (only 58%)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
                      • The Global Food Security Index (GFSI):<\/strong>\u00a0is an annual report by The Economist Intelligence Unit, which measures the food security of 113 countries.<\/li>\r\n\t
                      • Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)<\/strong>: It is developed by FAO and measures the level of food insecurity experienced by households over the past 12 months.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                        What are the causes of hunger in India?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

                        Some of the major causes of hunger are<\/p>\r\n

                          \r\n\t
                        • Poverty<\/strong>: Hunger is a consequence of poverty. Poor living conditions and limited food access lead to malnutrition in children, especially in rural areas with overpopulation.<\/li>\r\n\t
                        • Gender inequality:\u00a0<\/strong>Girls suffer more due to the patriarchal mindset, as they are considered secondary and are generally the last to eat in poor families. They are also deprived of mid-day meals due to a lack of access to schools.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t
                        • Poor\u00a0<\/strong>governance<\/strong>: Corruption is one of the greatest obstacles to eliminating hunger. This problem is compounded by the lack of awareness among the people.\r\n\r\n
                            \r\n\t
                          • Example:\u00a0<\/strong>Food distribution is inconsistent, with grains being diverted to the open market for profit and poor quality grains sold in ration shops.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
                          • Unidentified hunger:\u00a0<\/strong>Inaccurate classification of households as above or below the poverty line, coupled with poor quality grains, leads to a decline in food consumption.<\/li>\r\n\t
                          • Hidden hunger:\u00a0<\/strong>Micronutrient deficiency, caused by poor diet, disease, and inadequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactation, leads to hidden hunger.<\/li>\r\n\t
                          • Lack of maternal knowledge:\u00a0<\/strong>Inadequate understanding of nutrition, breastfeeding, and parenting among mothers is another area of concern.<\/li>\r\n\t
                          • Resource wastage and\u00a0<\/strong>climate change<\/strong>: The consequences of resource wastage are borne by lower strata of society as they cannot adapt to changing events.\r\n\r\n
                              \r\n\t
                            • Further, the expansion of deserts, soil erosion, water scarcity, and extreme weather phenomena as a result of climate change invariably affects poor people more, leading to hunger.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
                            • Natural disasters<\/strong>: Weather extremes lead to hunger crises.\u00a0Droughts<\/strong>\u00a0and floods destroy harvests and leave the poor vulnerable.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                              What are the consequences of the prevalence of hunger in India?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

                              Hunger in India has several consequences, both immediate and long-term. Some of the consequences of hunger in India are<\/p>\r\n

                                \r\n\t
                              • Malnutrition<\/strong>: Hunger leads to inadequate intake of essential nutrients, which can cause malnutrition, stunting, and wasting among children and adults.\r\n\r\n
                                  \r\n\t
                                • Malnutrition can lead to impaired physical and cognitive development, weakened immune system, and higher risk of diseases.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
                                • Health problems<\/strong>: Hunger can lead to several health problems such as anemia, low birth weight, micronutrient deficiencies, and other diet-related diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                • Poverty<\/strong>: Hunger can lead to poverty, as people may not be able to work and earn an income due to a lack of food and energy.\r\n\r\n
                                    \r\n\t
                                  • Hunger also increases health care costs and reduces productivity, which can perpetuate poverty and inequality.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
                                  • Education<\/strong>: Hunger also affects education, as children who suffer from hunger are more likely to miss school, have poor concentration, and drop out of school.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                  • Social unrest<\/strong>: Hunger can lead to social unrest and conflict, as people may resort to violence to obtain food or other basic needs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                                    What are the various government initiatives to tackle hunger in India?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

                                    The twin problems of hunger and poverty pose a serious challenge to the effective advancement of the nation. As a result, the government has been taking many steps to deal with these problems. Some of the steps taken are:<\/p>\r\n

                                      \r\n\t
                                    • National Nutrition Mission (NNM), Poshan Abhiyan<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 NNM was started in 2018 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to reduce the level of under-nutrition and also enhance the nutritional status of children in the country.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                    • National Food Security Act, 2013<\/strong>: The Act legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under Targeted Public Distribution System.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                    • Eat Right India Movement<\/strong>: An outreach activity organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for citizens to nudge them towards eating right.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                    • Zero Hunger Program:\u00a0<\/strong>Launched in October 2017, it aims at eliminating hunger and malnutrition by 2030.\r\n\r\n
                                        \r\n\t
                                      • It aims to intervene on farms by organizing nutrition-focused farming systems, providing zero hunger training, and establishing biofortified plant genetic gardens.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
                                      • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY):\u00a0<\/strong>PMMVY is a Centrally Sponsored DBT scheme with a cash incentive of \u20b9 5000\/- being provided directly in the bank\/post office account of Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                      • Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme (PM Poshan Scheme)<\/strong>: It is a school meal programme designed with the aim of improving the nutritional status of school-age children across the nation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                                        What steps can pave the way for the elimination of hunger in India?<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

                                        Reducing hunger in India requires a multi-faceted approach that involves addressing the root causes of hunger and malnutrition. Some potential ways forward are:<\/p>\r\n

                                          \r\n\t
                                        • Addressing poverty<\/strong>: Improving economic conditions and reducing poverty levels through job creation and better access to education.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                        • Improving\u00a0<\/strong>public distribution systems<\/strong>: Strengthening the public distribution system to ensure that food is distributed equitably and efficiently.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                        • Increasing agricultural productivity<\/strong>: Enhancing agricultural productivity through better irrigation, improved seeds, and better technology can help increase food production and availability.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                        • Promoting dietary diversity<\/strong>: Encouraging the consumption of a more diverse range of foods, particularly fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                        • Focusing on maternal and child health<\/strong>: Improving maternal and child health by promoting breastfeeding, adequate nutrition, and immunization.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                        • Addressing gender inequality<\/strong>: Reducing gender inequality and promoting education for girls can help improve their nutrition and reduce malnutrition.<\/li>\r\n\t
                                        • Strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems<\/strong>: Establishing effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure that nutritional programs are effective and efficiently implemented.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                          Hunger is the feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by a lack of food or adequate nutrition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9198,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[168,40],"class_list":{"0":"post-2679","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-notes","8":"tag-hunger-in-india","9":"tag-quest"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2679"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2679\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22038,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2679\/revisions\/22038"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}