HUNGER

Thursday, January 19, 2023 4:24 AM

HUNGER
• CONCEPT:
○ A situation of distress which is associated with lack of food.
○ Global Hunger Index 2022. Ranked 107 out of 121 countries.
• MANIFESTATION:
○ Under nutrition.
○ Malnutrition
○ Wasting
• Acc NFHS-4, prevalence of malnutrition in India is very high, manifests in following 3 forms--> “triple burden”:
○ Undernutrition, includes wasting (low weightfor- height), stunting (low height-for-age) & underweight (low
weight-for-age).
○ Overnutrition
○ Micronutrient-related malnutrition
• CAUSE:
○ Lack of food.
▪ Poverty (Poor people--> exp on food consumption & quality decline + unemployment + lack of
sustainable livelihood)
▪ Low agri productivity
▪ Fragmentation of land holding
▪ Food waste due to lack shortage facility
▪ Corruption, hoarding.
▪ Poor identify of beneficiaries. (PDS)
▪ Monsoon dependent agri + Rise in food price + Unemployment
▪ So focus on std of living to address above all.
○ Lack of nutritious food. (Hidden hunger)
▪ Lack of awareness + Adulterated food.
▪ GR (Cereal specific agri) + Adulterated food
▪ Mecdonalization of food habits + Sedentary lifestyle.
▪ Misleading advertisement (encourage unheathy diet)
▪ Poverty & high price [Acc to NSSO: 70% of income is spent on food by poor]
▪ Excess pesticide--> impact on quality
▪ Focus on holistic, comprehensive edu approach.
○ Lack of absorption capacity of nutritious by body.
▪ Unhealthy lifestyle + suffer from disease + Lack of safe drinking water + sanitation & hygiene problem
+ Poor health infra & tech + Open defecation + Poor housing.
▪ Focus on holistic & integrated health approach.
○ Poor infant & young child feeding practices.
○ Poor nutrition among women b4 & during pregnancy.
○ Household income insecurity/ poverty.
○ Inadequate access to health services & safe water.
○ Absence of sufficient health & nutrition awareness.
○ CC--> Loss biodiversity & reduce agri production.
• GOVT INITIATIVE:
○ POSHAN Abhiyaan (2018) to ensure attainment of malnutrition free India by 2022.
○ Mid-day meals in primary & upper primary schools to reduce malnutrition through free food for children.
○ Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme to improve nutritional & health status of children of
0-6 years.
▪ Under this: PM Matru Vandana Yojana
○ Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy: Reduce anaemia prevalence among children, adolescents and
women in reproductive age group.
○ Nutrition Smart Village: Promoting nutritional awareness, education
& behavioural change, harness traditional knowledge & implement nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
○ Food Fortification to improve nutrient content.
○ Eat Right India Movement.
○ NFSA, 2013: To ensure food & nutrition security.
• CHALLENGE:
○ Allocation towards child nutrition in UB 2021-22 dropped by 18.5% compared to 2020-21.
○ Underutilisation of budget: 2020 CAG audit of ICDS: out of Rs 1,042 cr allocated, only Rs 908 crore actually
disbursed to state govts.
○ Lack real-time monitor of nutrition of pregnant women & children.
○ Centralised governance + Lack of adequate political & social will + Lack of accountability, staff vacancies &
absenteeism.
○ POSHAN 2.0 budget of FY2022-23 less than 1% more than the actual spend in FY2020-21.
○ PM POSHAN budget of FY2022-23 21% lower than expenditure in FY2020-21.
○ >50% Child Development Project Officer posts were vacant.
○ Fragility of globalized food system:
▪ Over depend on food import + under invest of local farmer
○ Low status of women: Early marriage + low edu.
○ DESPITE OF MEASUE: (MALNUTRITION ALSO)
▪ Due to policy inadequacy:
▪ Top-down approach, lack of effective monitoring, siloed approaches, shortage of qualified HR
▪ Poor target leakage PDS.
▪ Other:
▪ India wastes about 7% of its total annual food production & 30% of fruits & veg--> inadequate
warehousing facilities.
▪ Indian women's nutrition--> Early marriage, low weight at pregnancy, lack of education.
▪ Shifts in diet and lifestyle patterns. (Fast food)
▪ Social structure dalit, tribal + Patriarchy
• IMPACT:
▪ At individual level
▪ Mentally, cognitive function decrease & physically (muscles).
▪ Insufficient nutrients--> weakens immune system--> susceptible to chronic diseases.
▪ On society:
▪ Multi-generational (malnourish women--> low birth-weight infant).
▪ Reduces earning opportunities, increasing the risk of poverty.
▪ On economy:
▪ India loses up to 4% of GDP & up to 8% of its productivity due to child malnutrition.
• WAY FORWARD:
▪ Build resilience of vul section of PP by invest in them to carry out context-specific adaptation strategies.
▪ More invest in disease prevent. (Identify early signs + response).
▪ Adequate measure to mitigate C.C. [Build green infra, Boost C sequestration].
▪ Promote: Sustainable production system + Consume nutritious food + Reduce food waste [FAO: 14& food
waste after harvesting]
▪ Poverty alleviation.
▪ Budgetary allocation--> $1 spent on nutritional intervention in India could generate $34.1 to $38.6 in public
economic returns
▪ Motivate & incentivize food suppliers & producer to ensure availability, affordability of healthy food.
▪ Mandatory labelling to protection against exploitative mkt practice.
▪ Fortification & Biofortification.
▪ Gender equality + women health & edu-> Women agency of change.
▪ Address gaps & inefficiencies in governance through public aware ness--> help in developing community-
based solutions
▪ Society activism like the Right to Food Campaign (2014).
▪ CB: Organisation of regular orientation programmes, use of IT to improve program monitoring.
▪ Behavioural changes: Edu + skill dev--> Employment--> Delay marry.
▪ Formal & informal education on agriculture & nutrition
▪ Design and development of more efficient integrated systems of food production, process & distribution.
▪ Cash transfers, especially in regions experiencing acute distress.
Adavantage of Effect limited where food price is volatile.
expanding choice at Son pref--> Influence household decision.
household level.
▪ Greater involvement of local govt & local community groups in the design & delivery of tailored nutrition
interventions.
▪ A comprehensive programme targeting adolescent girls is required if the intergenerational nature of
malnutrition is to be tackled.