Food Security in India

Food security means everyone has consistent access to enough safe and nutritious food to lead a healthy and active life.

Food is produced within the country, imported from other countries, or taken from stockpiles stored by the government.

Food is accessible to all people, meaning they can physically reach it.

Food is affordable for all people, meaning they can afford to buy enough to meet their dietary needs.

Food security is threatened when production or distribution of food is disrupted, leading to vulnerability for poor households.

The Public Distribution System (PDS) contributes to food security by providing food at subsidized prices to the poor.

The Bengal Famine of 1943 was a devastating event that resulted in the deaths of millions due to starvation. This famine highlights the importance of food security.

Food security is crucial for a country's well-being. It ensures that everyone has access to the nourishment they need for a healthy life.

A natural disaster, like a drought or flood, can disrupt food production, causing shortages and price increases. This can lead to food insecurity in the affected areas.

A famine occurs when there is widespread death due to starvation, often triggered by a severe food shortage. It is a catastrophic consequence of food insecurity.

Landless laborers, fishermen, casual laborers, and other groups who rely on daily wages are particularly vulnerable during a famine due to the sudden increase in food prices.

The table shows that there was no shortage of rice in the years leading up to the Bengal Famine. This suggests other factors contributed to the crisis.

Agriculture is a seasonal activity, meaning farmers work primarily during specific planting and harvesting periods. This leads to unemployment for agricultural laborers outside these seasons.

Ramu, a casual agricultural laborer, is unemployed for about four months each year due to the seasonal nature of farming.

Ramu finds alternative work during his unemployment periods, such as bricklaying or construction.

Both Ramu and his wife Sunhari contribute to their family's income, ensuring their basic needs are met.

Ramu faces difficulties when he is unemployed as his family relies on his income for basic necessities. This highlights the vulnerability of those with unstable earnings.

Ramu is food insecure during the four months he is unemployed due to his limited income and the lack of access to regular meals.

Ahmad, a rickshaw puller, doesn't have a stable income, earning enough to meet his family's needs on some days, but struggling on others. He is struggling with food insecurity.

The yellow card, a PDS card, helps Ahmad get essential food items like wheat, rice, sugar, and kerosene oil at half the market price. This helps him manage his family's food needs with limited income.

The social composition and economic status can contribute to food insecurity. Groups like Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and some Other Backward Classes (OBCs) with limited resources are more vulnerable.

People affected by natural disasters are often forced to migrate to find work, leading to food insecurity. Their livelihoods are disrupted, making them vulnerable to hunger.

Malnutrition rates are high among women, especially pregnant and nursing mothers and children under five years old. This poses a significant threat to their health and well-being.

Chronic hunger is persistent due to a lack of adequate food, often resulting from low income and inability to afford sufficient food. This is a significant challenge for impoverished people.

Seasonal hunger is linked to the cycles of food production and harvesting. It is common in rural areas due to seasonal agricultural work and in urban areas due to the fluctuation of casual labor.

The Green Revolution, a transformation in agricultural practices, aimed to achieve self-sufficiency in foodgrains for India. This resulted in increased production of wheat and rice, contributing to food security.

While the Green Revolution boosted food production, there were some negative consequences. The focus on wheat and rice led to the neglect of other food crops, and intensive water usage for rice cultivation has raised environmental concerns.

The buffer stock is a government-regulated stockpile of foodgrains, primarily wheat and rice. The government purchases grains from farmers when there is surplus production.

The Minimum Support Price (MSP) is the price guaranteed by the government to farmers for specific crops. This provides incentives to farmers to increase production and ensures a stable income for them.

The Public Distribution System (PDS) distributes, through government-regulated ration shops, foodgrains procured by the government to the poor at subsidized prices.

The government creates a buffer stock to distribute foodgrain to food-deficit areas and poorer sections of society at subsidized prices. This helps address food shortages during adverse weather conditions or disasters.

The introduction of Rationing in India dates back to the 1940s, serving as a response to the Bengal Famine. It was revived in the 1960s during a food shortage and further strengthened in the 1970s to address poverty and food security concerns.

Cooperatives play a significant role in food security by setting up shops to sell affordable goods to the poor. Examples include Mother Dairy in Delhi and Amul in Gujarat, highlighting their contributions to milk and dairy accessibility.

ADS Grain Banks, established by the Academy of Development Science, aim to address food security through efficient distribution and storage of grains. They're working to bring about a change in how food is managed in rural areas.