Free Essays for Competitive Exams-Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition in India

Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition in India

World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16^th October, the foundation day of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations . The World Food Day theme for 2013 is "Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition”. Some of the themes adopted during previous years emphasize the policy framework for better global food security. To name a few, theme for 2008 was ‘World food security: the challenges of climate change and bio energy in 2009: ‘Achieving food security in times of crisis’; in 2011: Food prices - from crisis to stability; and ‘Agricultural cooperatives – key to feeding the world’, in 2012. 

Food security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food-secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. The World Health Organization defines three facets of food security: food availability, food access, and food use. Food availability is having sufficient quantities of food on a consistent basis. Food access is having sufficient resources, both economic and physical   to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet. Food use is the appropriate use of food resources based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care. The FAO adds a fourth facet: the stability of the first three dimensions of food security over time. In fact, food security is the prerequisite for the economic and social stability of any nation. Sustainable food security requires a stable supply of food with robust agricultural growth and properly functioning agricultural markets.

India faces a unique development paradox of being in the front ranks of fast growing global economies, with about 25 percent of the world's hungry poor. Although the country grows enough food for its people, pockets of hunger remain. According to some figures, around 40 per cent of children under the age of five years are malnourished and nearly half of all pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years suffer from anemia. Nutrition is crucial for fulfillment of basic human rights and forms the foundation for meaningful human existence with decreased susceptibility to infection, related morbidity, disability and mortality, better learning capacities and adult productivity.

Agricultural growth is crucial for our economic development and Food security. The experience from BRICS countries indicates that a one percentage growth in agriculture is at least two to three times more effective in reducing poverty than the same growth emanating from non-agriculture sectors. Over the years due to concerted efforts of our governments, our country has emerged as a leading producer of some cereals and animal products. Government of India has also launched several schemes to further increase the growth in agriculture and boost farm production to establish sustained food systems in the country. These include schemes such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Development and Strengthening of Infrastructure facilities for Production and Distribution of Quality Seed, National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Rainfed Area Development Programme (RADP), Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPOM), Gramin Bhandaran Yojana etc. In addition, Government has substantially improved the availability of farm credit; implemented debt waiver; introduced better crop insurance schemes; increased Minimum Support Price (MSP), improved marketing infrastructure, etc.

Although India had long back achieved self-sufficiency in food, the Government of India launched the National Food Security Mission in 2007. The mission was expected to increase the production of rice by 10 million tonnes, wheat by 8 million tonnes and pulses by 2 million tonnes in five years by the end of 11th Five Year Plan (2011-2012). The primary reason for this optimism was that there exists a substantial gap between the current average yields and the potential yields which can be bridged with the help of available technologies.

Further in order to provide food and nutritional security to the people by ensuring availability of food at affordable prices, Government has enacted National Food Security Act, recently. The National Food Security Act is a historic initiative for ensuring food and nutritional security to the people. It gives right to the people to receive adequate quantity of food grains at affordable prices.

Salient features of the act are:

Upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population will have uniform entitlement of 5 kg food grains per month at highly subsidized prices of Rs. 3, Rs. 2, Rs. 1 per kg. for rice, wheat, coarse grains respectively. It will entitle about 81crore people while under the existing Targeted Public Distribution System only 2.5crore Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families or about 32.5 crore persons (assuming 5 as the average household size) are getting food grains at these prices. Thus, population getting food grains at these highly subsidized prices as their legal right will increase to 67% from existing 27%. 

The poorest of poor households would continue to receive 35 kg food grains per household per month under Antyodaya Anna Yojana at subsidized prices of Rs 3, Rs 2 and Re 1.

 Pregnant women and lactating mothers, besides being entitled to nutritious meals as per the prescribed nutritional norms will also receive maternity benefit at least of Rs. 6000/-. Children in the age group of 6 months to 14 years will be entitled to take home ration or hot cooked food as per prescribed nutritional norms.

The Central Government will provide funds to States/UTs in case of short supply of food grains from Central pool. In case of non-supply of food grains or meals to entitled persons, the concerned State/UT Governments will be required to provide such food security allowance as may be prescribed by the Central Government to the beneficiaries.

Central Government will provide assistance to the States towards cost of intra-State transportation, handling of food grains and FPS dealers’ margin. This will ensure timely transportation and efficient handling of food grains.

Reforms have been initiated for doorstep delivery of food grains, application of information and communication technology (ICT) including end to end computerization, diversification of commodities under TPDS etc for effective implementation of the Food Security Act.

Women Empowerment-- Eldest woman of 18 years of age or above will be head of the household for issue of ration card, and if not available, the eldest male member is to be the head of the household.

Grievance redressal mechanism-There will be state and district level redressalmechanism with designated nodal officers.  The States will be allowed to use the existing machinery for District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO), State Food Commission, if they so desire, to save expenditure on establishment of new redressal set up. Redressal mechanism may also include call centers, helpline etc.

On the issue of redressing grievances that may arise in implementation of such a massive social justice programme, it has been planned to give an increased role for Panchayati Raj institutions and women’s self help group in programme-monitoring and social auditing.

With this mega scheme of  strengthening the food security of the poor, destitute billions, with an estimated annual food grains requirement of 612.3 lakhtonnes and corresponding estimated food subsidy of about  Rs.1,24,724 crore, during this fiscal, a new beginning is being made towards welfare of citizens. A Food secure nation can only be economically and socially stabile.