Food Security

Key Points:

1. The pre-independent India witnessed starvation deaths on a large scale due to extreme scarcity of food. The Great Bengal Famine, which occurred between 1943 and 1945, killed about 3 to 5 million people in Bengal, Assam and Oddissa provinces.
2. After India’s independence, governments started developing various systems to ensure food security for its people.
3. Producing sufficient amount of food grains is an important requirement of food security.
4. Agriculture scientists felt that the cultivation methods of rice and wheat had led to continuous yield levels, but they are not sustainable. These methods have eventually led to soil degradation, and depletion of ground water resources.
5. Besides the production, imports is another important way of increasing availability of food grains in any particular year. Consumers need a diverse food basket and a balanced diet. Hence, allied sectors such as poultry, fishing and dairying shall also be taken seriously by the farmers.
6. Nutritionists suggest that per capita vegetable and fruit consumption should be 300 grams and 100 grams every day. The standard daily food intake must be equivalent to 2100 calories for people in urban areas and 2400 calories for people in rural areas. However, still 80% of people in rural areas in India consume food that is below the calorie standard.
7. From a long period of time, 35% to 45% of Indians are consuming less food than they should have. The issue of food security needs careful thinking and focused efforts. Public distribution shops are important means for people to access food grains in India.
8. The National Food Security Act 2013 legalised the peoples’ right to food. Food is required by the body for all its functions for energy, growth and capacity to remain healthy and fight illness.

Key Words:

1. Production: The process of growing food. Producing sufficient amount of food grains is an important requirement of food security.
2. Availability: Per capita availability of food grains in the country should be sufficient and shall also be increasing over the years.
3. Access: Reaching. Everyone should be able to buy food for consumption.
4. Nutrition : Food necessary for growth and health. Food is required by the body for all its functions - for growth and the capacity to remain healthy and fight illness.
5. Buffer Stock: Stocks of food grains with Food Corporation of India (FCI). Procurement And maintenance of the stocks of food grains, mainly wheat and rice, by the government through FCI is known as buffer stock.
6. Hunger: The state of not having enough food. Over a long period of time, 25% to 35% of the Indians are consuming less food than they should and are malnourished or hungry despite adequate food supplies in the country.
7. PDS: (Public Distribution System) Ration shops are important means for people to access food grains in India. Southern states of India have followed universal PDS systems, which mean low cost food grains would be available to all.