Food Security in India

The three main components of food security are availability, accessibility, and affordability of food.

Amartya Sen emphasized the importance of access to food through 'entitlements', which consider what one can produce, trade in the market, or receive from social provisions.

The Public Distribution System (PDS) helps ensure food security by monitoring the distribution of food grains and making them accessible to vulnerable populations.

<p>Global food security requires that all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The declaration states that poverty eradication is essential to improve access to food.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Food availability refers to the domestic food production, food imports, and stocks stored from previous years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>No, food security cannot be achieved solely through domestic production because it also involves imports and effective distribution systems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ration shops typically stock foodgrains, sugar, and kerosene.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Rationing in India started in the 1940s due to the Bengal famine, aiming to manage food shortages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The three types of ration cards are Antyodaya cards, BPL cards, and APL cards.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The PDS was established to provide food grains to the population, especially the poor, enhancing food security.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Rationing was revived in the 1960s due to an acute food shortage prior to the Green Revolution.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ramu is unemployed for about four months due to the seasonal nature of agricultural work.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>When Ramu is unemployed, he faces difficulties in feeding his family and sometimes they have to go without food.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ramu's family may have members engaging in small jobs or taking on casual labor to supplement income.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ramu faces difficulties when unemployed due to lack of cash or resources to buy food for his family.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ramu is considered food insecure during the four months he is unemployed and unable to earn.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The most affected groups include landless people, traditional artisans, and petty self-employed workers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Families like Ramu's primarily rely on ill-paid occupations and casual labor for income.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Natural disasters force affected populations to migrate in search of work, exacerbating their food insecurity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A high incidence of malnutrition prevails among women, particularly affecting unborn babies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>200 million tonnes was first exceeded in the year 2021.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The foodgrain production in 2019 was 257 million tonnes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The MSP provides incentives to farmers to increase foodgrain production.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The lowest foodgrain production was 108 million tonnes in 2002.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The highest recorded foodgrain production occurred in the 2020s.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The government declares the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Foodgrain production remained stable at 252 million tonnes in both years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Granaries are used for storing purchased foodgrains.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Foodgrain production rose from 276 million tonnes in 2020 to 297 million tonnes in 2021.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Buffer stock refers to the stock of foodgrains, particularly wheat and rice, procured by the government to ensure food availability during shortages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The PDS distributes food procured by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) through regulated ration shops to low-income households at prices lower than the market price.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The government creates buffer stock to distribute foodgrains in deficit areas and to help resolve food shortages during adverse conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The FCI procures foodgrains from farmers in surplus-producing states and manages the distribution through the PDS.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Issue Price is the price at which foodgrains are distributed through ration shops, which is lower than the prevailing market price.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Challenges include issues like corruption, inefficiency in distribution, and inadequate supply during crises.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Maintaining a buffer stock is important to prevent food shortages during natural calamities or periods of low production.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The distribution provides access to essential food items at subsidized prices, making food security more attainable for low-income households.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Since 2000-01, food production levels in India have consistently increased due to the support of a structured food security system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>There are approximately 5.5 lakh ration shops in India, which are critical for supporting food distribution to poorer sections of society.</p> Signup and view all the answers