The Status of Food Security With Particular Reference To Food Availability in India

Volume 5, Issue 10, October – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
The Status of Food Security with Particular

Reference to Food Availability in India
MohdDaud Ahmad
Research Scholar, Department of Geography AMUAligarh
Abstract:- Food security means that all people at all socio-economic development, human rights and the
times have physical & economic access to adequate environment.
amounts of nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate
foods, which are produced in an environmentally Food is essential for life. The estimation of several
sustainable and socially just manner, and that people can reports saysthat there is more than enough food produced in
make informed decisions about their food choices. Food all over the world to feed everyone, yet 815 million people
security is associated with several factors, such as socio- go hungry.One of the most significant challenges the world
economic development, human rights and the faces is how to ensure that a growing global population -
environment. The main objective of the present study is projected to rise around 10 billion by 2050 – has enough
to evaluate the status of food security in India and to food to meet their nutritional requirements. To meet the
examine the vulnerable sections of society in food dietary needs of another two billion people in 2050, food
security. The present study is entirely based upon the production will be needed to increase by 50 per cent
secondary sources of the data collected from the books, globally.The concept of food security nowadays is getting
journals, government reports and websites. The analysis more focus because of the growing population and the
of the study reveals thatIndia, with a massive climatological threats to food production.Today the
agricultural crop production over the years, has moved availability of food is associated with purchasing power, and
away from dependence on food aid to become a net food food insecurity is caused by poverty. So the needs of the
exporter. Still,India has failed to ensure food security at poor should be protected by improving their purchasing
the micro-level.The main reasons behind food insecurity power through employment and income generation
in India are massive poverty, illiteracy, corruption, programmes.
faulty government policies, lack of awareness among the
masses and low technological development. The study Nowadays, the concept of food security is generally
proposes some suggestions to overcome the existing understood to include four main components: availability,
problems of food insecurity in India. access, utilisation, and stability; although some see stability
as a separate cross-cutting factor. For an optimum status of
Keywords:- Food Availability, Foodgrains, Poverty, ICMR. food security to exist, all of these components must be
sufficiently present.
I. INTRODUCTION
 Physical Availability of Food:
Food security from time to time has been defined by The physical availability of food refers to adequate
different world organisations to incorporate arising issues quantities of food, supplied through native production or
and challenges. World Food Summit (WFS) and the Food imports. It refers to the ‘supply-side’ of food security.
and Agricultural Organization (FAO) defined food security
as, ”Food security exists when all people at all times have  Economic and Physical Access to Food:
physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and It refers to access by an individual to adequate
nutritious food that meets their dietary and food preferences resources (entitlements) for acquiring appropriate food for a
for an active life” (FAO, 2002). In other words, Food nutritious and balanced diet.
security means that all people at all times have physical &
economic access to adequate amounts of nutritious, safe,  Food Utilisation:
and culturally appropriate foods, which are produced in an Food Utilisation, in general, understood as the way the
environmentally sustainable and socially just manner, and body makes the most of various nutrients in the food
that people can make informed decisions about their food through a balanced diet, clean water, hygiene, sanitation and
choices.Food security exists when the people who produce health care.
our food can earn a decent, living wage growing, catching,
producing, processing, transporting, retailing, and serving  Food Stability:
food.At the core of food security is access to healthy food Reliable supply of food products available at all times
and optimal nutrition for all. Food access is closely linked to and for all people.
the food supply, so food security is dependent on a healthy
and sustainable food system (www.resilience.org). Food
security is also associated with several other factors, such as
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ISSN No:-2456-2165
II. LITERATURE REVIEW IV. DATABASE AND METHODOLOGY
The literature relating to food security status, problems The present study is entirely based upon the secondary
and prospects of food security in India and the significant sources of the data collected from the books,journals,
challenges in the way of food security have been selected government reports and websites.To analyse India’s position
for the assessment of food security status in India and to find in the world in terms of food security, the study uses data
out the problems arising in the course of food security in compiled from the different reports and publications of
India. various world organisations such as IFPRI, FAO, and WHO
etc. To show the trends and patterns of the status of food
Rao and Deshpande (2002) argued that the existing security, the study uses different years of data relating to
system of government policies related to food security food availability. The tables and graphs have been used for
especially Public Distribution System (PDS) has become the interpretation of the data.
unwieldy and sustainable and the study calls for the review
of the policies. The study tried to show the feasibility of a V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
decentralised system with the help of data from two
drought-prone districts of Karnataka.  India’s Position in Global Hunger Index:
Table 1 and Fig 1 indicate India’s position in the
Das and Datta (2006) explored the food security Global Hunger Index (GHI) given by the International Food
situation in North East India. They found that all the seven Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). It is quite clear that from
states of North East India suffer from food deficiency the table that India has remained under the severe category
because of the traditional method of cultivation. They of nations and its rank in the world is also increasing over
showed that entire North East India is dependent upon the the years.This indicates that India has continued to have one
import of food grains from North India to meet their of the enormousproportionsof the population who is food
requirement. The study emphasised on the need to insecure. Over the years, it is amongthe worstcountriesin
modernise the prevailing agricultural scenario to get better terms of foodsecurity.
output and to improve the food security situation in the
study area. It has been reported in different reports of national and
international organisations that some of the states of India
Agoramoorthy, G. (2008), in his study, revealed that have performed worse than the many of the poorest
by 2020, India has to increase productivity above 340 countries of Africa. If this trend continues and the situation
million tons of foodgrains given its population growth. For does not improve, then India might experience other low
this purpose, there should be a high emphasis on agricultural rankand poor performance in the global hunger index, and it
research, technology, and rural infrastructure. The study will continue to have the most extensive sufferers of food
stressed on the need to improve the agricultural conditions insecure populations. This is a matter of serious concerns for
in the drylands which covers a vast stretch of Indian areal a country like India, which has enough potential and
extent to meet the future demands of food in the country. resources to meet the needs and demands of people.
Kumbhare, et al. (2013)in their study revealed that

the status of household food security was found low among S.
Total
below poverty line (BPL) household as compared to above No Year Rank Score Status
Countries
poverty line (APL) household. The household food security .
was positively influenced by the variables like annual 1 2012 79 65 22.9 Serious
income, food quality, adoption of modern technology and 2 2013 78 63 21.3 Serious
social participation.
3 2014 76 55 17.8 Serious
III. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 4 2015 104 80 29.0 Serious
5 2016 118 97 28.5 Serious
The followings are the primary objectives proposed for
the present study. 6 2017 119 100 31.8 Serious
 To evaluate the status of food security in India. 7 2018 119 103 31.1 Serious
 To evaluate the vulnerable sections of society in food
security. 8 2019 117 102 30.3 Serious
 To find out the significant challenges in meeting the 9 2020 107 94 27.2 Serious
status of food security. Table 1: India’s Position in Global Hunger Index (2012-
2020) Source: IFPRI

ISSN No:-2456-2165
states have been identified as more prone to food insecurity
as the others. It has been observed a significant chunk of
food insecure populations is found in few states and these
states are the worst sufferer in food security. The central
states that have a large proportion of food-insecure people
are Uttar Pradesh (Eastern and South Eastern Parts),Bihar,
Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, parts of
Madhya Pradesh, Assam andMaharashtra. The occurrence
of massive food insecurity in these states is mainly because
of the high population growth, widespread poverty, faulty
government policies, increased frequency of natural
disasters and lack of technological development. In these
states also, there are some particular sections and class of
the people are the worst sufferers in food security.
Fig: 1 The followings are the worst affected groups in

Food Insecurity:
 Foodgrain Availability:  The beggar, homeless people and to many extents
With a five-fold increase in food grain production landless people,
from 50 million tonnes in 1950-51 to about 250 million  Casual labourers,
tonnes in 2014-15, India has moved away from dependence  Ill paid families,
on food aid to become a net food exporter (FAO, 2017). But  Unskilled and traditional artisans,
India has failed to ensure the food security at the micro-  SCs, STs Minorities and some sections of OBCs.
level. Table 2 reveals that although by and large India has  Migrants as a result of natural disasters.
per capita availability of cereals above the recommended  Women and children,
level of dietary allowances for an adult male but till today  The families who are under below the poverty line.
millions of people in different states in India and numerous
sections of society have not been able to meet their daily  Suggestions to improve Food Security in India:
dietary needs. The main reasons behind such large scale The followings are the crucial suggestions proposed
food insecurity in India are massive poverty, illiteracy, for this study to improve the existing scenario of food
corruption, faulty government policies, lack of awareness security in India.
among the masses and low technological development. 1) Improve the soil fertility, irrigation infrastructure and
water management practices.
2) Introduce the high yielding seed distribution system of
ICMR Recommended
Per Capita Net pulses varieties.
Dietary Allowances
S. Availability 3) Monitoring and timely evaluation of food and nutritional
for an Adult Male (in
No. Year (in gm.) programmes should be done.
gm.)
4) Increase the subsidy to the farmers.
Cereals Pulses Cereals Pulses
5) Crop insurance scheme should be provided to the
1. 2014 442.9 46.4 420 60
farmers.
2. 2015 421.4 43.8 420 60
6) The employment generation programmes to fight against
3. 2016 443.7 43.0 420 60 poverty and low purchasing power prevalent among the
4. 2017 465.3 52.9 420 60 people should be initiated.
Table: 2 Per Capita Availability ofFoodgrain in India 7) There is a need for long-term relief measures which
Source: Agricultural Statistics & ICMR should also be sustainable in the event of natural
disasters.
On the other hand, India, despite having a high
proportion of the population as a vegetarian, has been failing REFERENCES
to ensure the requirements of pulses at the recommended
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ISSN No:-2456-2165
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Volume 5, Issue 10, October – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

The Status of Food Security with Particular

IJISRT20OCT516 www.ijisrt.com 620

Kumbhare, et al. (2013)in their study revealed that

IJISRT20OCT516 www.ijisrt.com 621

Fig: 1 The followings are the worst affected groups in

IJISRT20OCT516 www.ijisrt.com 622

IJISRT20OCT516 www.ijisrt.com 623

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