By :  S Gopalakrishnan

Introduction:

Food insecurity is a ‘pressing public health concern’ for India. According to the data provided by the World Food Programme under the United Nations Organisation, one-fourth of the world’s undernourished people live in India. Despite a 13.7% decrease in the 2021-23 period, the crisis of undernourishment persists. While there is a need to update the basic measures used to quantify food insecurity, various creative solutions—such as subsidized food, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, and regenerative farming—have also been proposed to combat this crisis. This article presents an overview of the actions taken to address this crisis and its future.

Measuring Food Insecurity:

Some of the tools used to measure food insecurity include the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM), and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). HFIAS is an experience-based model of measurement that was developed in the year 2006, by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance II Project (FANTA). This project was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The method was based on the idea which is, “the experience of food insecurity (access) causes predictable reactions and responses that can be captured and quantified through a survey and summarized in a scale”.

The HFSSM, on the other hand, is a survey consisting of eighteen questions, each of which is subjective in nature on certain aspects called ‘domains’[6]. These domains are as follows: the feelings of uncertainty or anxiety, perceptions of insufficient quantity and/or quality, reported reductions and consequences of intake, and feelings of shame for using means considered unacceptable by society to acquire food. The data is presented on a scale to understand the level of food insecurity at households. There is also a cut-off point for a simplified picture for the same. This aids in quantifying the soundness of food assistance programs for policy considerations.

Meanwhile, FIES is also a ‘survey module’[7] that consists of eight questions on access to food. It is like a combination of HFIAS and HFSSM because it questions the experiences of the undernourished. FIES helps in collecting estimates which can be easily compared across different countries and their cultures. The data can be part of the population survey, aiding policymakers to identify the weaker sections of society. The measure has been most commonly used by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations Organization since the year 2014, as part of its ‘Voices of the Hungry’ Project[8].

India has employed all of the above-mentioned measures along with other ‘proxy measures’[9] to quantify its food insecurity. However, the implementation of the measures and its results are disappointing. While it can be agreed that food insecurity is hard to measure, India is expected to measure at least six dimensions, namely availability, access, utilization, stability, agency, and sustainability, and not just one (access). A 13.7% decrease is not encouraging for the world’s fastest-growing economy and the most populous country. It needs to find ways to resolve the crisis while maintaining its population otherwise, the economic and ecological outcome will get severe.

Solutions to Food Insecurity:

The NFSA sought to implement solutions for India’s persistent food security problem. The National Food Security Act (NFSA) came into force on 10^th of September 2013[10]. It gave more momentum to reducing food insecurity in many ways. It subsidizes food grains to eligible households through the Public Distribution System (PDS). The eligible beneficiaries are categorized into two groups: Priority Households (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households – the latter includes financially struggling families. The Act guarantees each member of the PHH 5 kilograms of food grains per month at highly subsidized rates, such as three rupees per kilogram of rice. For AAY households, the allocation is the same, but with easier access.

Some solutions against food insecurity in India also include food fortification, better agricultural infrastructure, and productivity through the use of biotechnology, and natural or Regenerative Farming. Food fortification refers to a strategy in which essential vitamins and minerals are added to commonly consumed foods to reduce deficiencies. This is extremely relevant, as India suffers from deficiencies of iron, folic acid, iodine, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12, especially in children. 50-70% of anaemia is, in fact, caused by these deficiencies. Hence, to combat this crisis, India was among the first countries to make strong steps towards food fortification since 1953[11]. It initiated a Universal Salt Iodization (USI) program in 1962.

Today, the annual demand for food increases by 2-3%. It is estimated that India must grow 50% more food by the year 2050[12]. This target can be achieved through a focus on natural or regenerative farming to reduce overreliance on chemical fertilizers, which has adversely impacted soil fertility. Recovery of soil health requires policymakers to consider some new ways, beyond bio-fertilizers, to prepare the fields for other sustainable practices. For example, the development and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) have benefits in promoting the practice of sustainable agriculture such as collecting geospatial data to understand land health and improve biodiversity.

The Way Forward?

India has made some commendable efforts since the Green Revolution through various government schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), and the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY). However, despite the growing financial aid, the solutions do not appear to be innovative. Most of the initiatives are committed to SDGs but they are based on intensive agriculture, which is, the use of chemical fertilizers. As the population is shifting towards manufacturing and service sectors, there should be steps to mechanize the agricultural sector. The economy is largely dependent on the manufacturing industry, causing innovation to take the backseat. This must change.

The improvement of agricultural productivity is still largely dependent on unpredictable monsoons. As climate change slowly becomes more intense, overdependence on irregular weather events is not the way to go. India needs more investments in water management systems and irrigation control to bring agricultural resilience. Precision farming uses infotech like satellite imagery and soil sensors to maintain soil health, develop high-value crops, and maximize cost benefit. Furthermore, enhancing irrigation infrastructure, especially through drip irrigation as seen in the Tamil Nadu Precision Farming Project.[13], can ensure adequate moisture for crops. In implementing these, policies should support small-scale farmers in access.

While the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has led to soil degradation and environmental pollution, the shift towards organic farming, agroecology, and sustainable crop management practices is possible through geopolitical leverage. The restructuring of agricultural infrastructure can be a hard task, but India can leverage its alliances with other countries to bring investments. Some examples of these alliances are India’s partnership with the USAID and the India-UAE Food Security Partnership. The former can aid in sharing agricultural knowledge and scaling its innovations while the latter can aid in Agri-exports and connecting India’s agricultural markets with those of UAE.

Lastly, empowering farmers and local communities is crucial to food security. Farmers lack access to information, receive unfair prices in markets, and are underfinanced in their endeavours. Agricultural extension services, improving access to microcredit, and creating farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) can enable farmers to improve productivity, get fair prices, and manage their crops well. Strengthening women’s participation in agriculture since they represent 44.7% of the agricultural workforce is another key aspect of ensuring food security. Gender-sensitive policies that provide women with access to land, technology, and financial services can enhance agricultural productivity and improve food availability at the household level.

Conclusion:

There are a lot of ways for India to retain self-sufficiency in food. Yet, it needs to utilize its time well. It all comes down to ensuring that there is a proper distribution of income in the country. That and more efforts directed toward measuring and understanding the dynamics behind food insecurity can aid the country in finding the right solution. While the country is transitioning to the manufacturing and service sector, same as that of the developed countries, agriculture remains to have a continuing influence in every Indian’s life. Hence, it needs to value each sector equally in its path to development.

Author’s Bio:

S Gopalakrishnan is a second-year student, pursuing B.A. (Hons.) Global Affairs at the Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal University. His research interests lie in Foreign Policy and Strategy, public policies of different countries, and political philosophy.

Image Source : https://countercurrents.org/2020/08/food-security-in-india-an-analysis/