The concept of Food Security has evolved from simple “physical availability” in the 1970s to a multi-dimensional framework today. According to the 1996 World Food Summit, food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Core Pillars of Food Security
To understand Food Security holistically, it is categorized into four essential dimensions:
- Availability: The physical existence of food in the country, derived from domestic production, imports, and existing stock in government granaries.
- Accessibility: Ensuring that food is within reach of every individual without physical or geographical barriers.
- Affordability: The economic capacity of individuals to buy food of acceptable quality, implying that food prices are stable and the population has adequate purchasing power.
- Utilization: The body’s ability to absorb nutrients, which depends on clean water, sanitation, and healthcare.
Institutional and Legal Framework in India
India transitioned from a “Ship-to-Mouth” economy in the 1960s to a food-surplus nation through several key interventions.
National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
The NFSA marked a paradigm shift from a welfare-based approach to a rights-based approach.
- Coverage: It covers up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population.
- Entitlements: Priority Households (PHH) receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month, while Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households receive 35 kg per household per month.
- Subsidized Prices: Central Issue Prices (CIP) were set at ₹3 for rice, ₹2 for wheat, and ₹1 for coarse grains.
- Nutritional Support: Focuses on pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children aged 6 months to 14 years through Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and PM POSHAN.
Public Distribution System (PDS) and Buffer Stocks
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) manages the procurement of foodgrains at Minimum Support Price (MSP) and maintains buffer stocks to ensure price stability and food availability during lean seasons or disasters.
Comparative Analysis: Types of Food Insecurity
| Feature | Chronic Food Insecurity | Transitory Food Insecurity |
| Duration | Long-term or persistent. | Short-term and temporary. |
| Cause | Constant lack of assets, poverty, or lack of financial resources. | Fluctuations in food production, prices, or household incomes. |
| Occurrence | Predictable and continuous. | Unpredictable (droughts, floods, economic shocks). |
| Solution | Structural reforms, education, and poverty alleviation. | Early warning systems and social safety nets. |
Global and National Hunger Indices
Food security is measured globally to assess the progress of nations toward Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger).
- Global Hunger Index (GHI): Released by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. It uses four indicators: Undernourishment, Child Stunting, Child Wasting, and Child Mortality.
- State Food Safety Index (SFSI): Released by FSSAI in India to measure the performance of states across parameters like human resources, institutional data, compliance, and consumer empowerment.
- Global Food Security Index (GFSI): Developed by Economist Impact, ranking countries based on affordability, availability, quality, and safety.
Major Challenges to Food Security in India
Despite being one of the largest producers of foodgrains, India faces several structural bottlenecks:
- Hidden Hunger: High prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (Zinc, Iron, Vitamin A) despite calorie intake.
- Climate Change: Erratic monsoons and heatwaves impacting crop yields, particularly wheat and paddy.
- Supply Chain Inefficiencies: High post-harvest losses due to inadequate cold storage and processing infrastructure.
- Sustainability: Excessive reliance on water-intensive crops like rice and sugarcane leading to groundwater depletion.
Key Schemes and Initiatives
- PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide additional free foodgrains to NFSA beneficiaries.
- One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC): Ensures portability of food security benefits, allowing migrant workers to claim rations anywhere in India.
- Fortification of Rice: A target to provide fortified rice in all government schemes by 2024 to combat anemia.
- PM-POSHAN: Formerly the Mid-Day Meal scheme, providing hot cooked meals to school children.
Factsheet for Prelims
- First World Food Conference: Held in 1974 in Rome.
- World Food Day: Observed on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the FAO.
- Target of NFSA: Focuses heavily on Women Empowerment by designating the eldest woman of the household (18+ years) as the head for issuing ration cards.
- Nutritional Standard: Under NFSA, the nutritional norms for pregnant women and lactating mothers include 600 calories and 18-20g of protein daily.