Food Security in India: Challenges and Implications

Food Security in India 1
FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA
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Food Security in India 2
Introduction
Achieving food security is the goal of every country across the globe. Food security is
achieved when everyone in a country has physical, social and economic access to enough safe
and healthy food that meets their daily nutritional requirements and food choices for a healthy
and active life. Adequate diet is important for economic development, good health, physical and
cognitive development. Globally the rate of food insecurity is still high, with approximately 800
million individuals having limited access to nutritious food (Ritchie, Reay &Higgins, 2018).
Asia is one of the affected continents, recording a high rate of food insecurity. India is the
second-most populous country host approximately 18 percent of the global population in the year
2015 (Ritchie et al., 2018). The country, being a developing nation, it contains a significant
number of the world’s poor and hungry population. According to FAO 2016, approximately 191
million of the country’s population were undernourished between the years 2014 and 2016,
which represents at least 24 percent of the global community. Therefore, addressing food
security in the country is of significant importance and a significant challenge to the Indian
government. This paper will discuss food system and security in India and its implications.
India has witnessed an unprecedented growth rate in its economy, making it the second-
fastest growing economy in the Asian continent (Prabhakar, Sano & Srivastava, 2013). The
country’s GDP has grown significantly since 1990. The staple foods of India are rice and wheat,
with the government having a buffer stock of the two food products as security for any
irregularities that may emerge in the future (Gitz, Meybeck, Lipper, Young & Braatz, 2016).
Despite the tremendous growth, the country is faced with a significant challenge in achieving the
basic dietary requirements of its citizens. India is self-sufficient in its staple foods, including rice
and wheat, and there is enough supply to meet the country’s demand. Besides, India experiences

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numerous population growth as well as environmental and dietary pressures. Therefore, the
country is faced with insufficient calorie intake and undernutrition among a significant
proportion of its citizens. Despite being self-sufficient, the country has a substantial number of
its citizens who exhibit poor nutritional health (Kwasek, 2012). The country has successfully
integrated the program to promote access to food for its growing population. India is, however,
limited in ensuring that it includes the required diversity in the types of foods available. The
country’s population experiences micronutrient deficiencies, mainly attributed to the focus on the
availability of calories rather than dietary diversity (Kwasek, 2012). The country has poor water
management and subsidies that lead to wasteful agricultural practices that serve as a significant
risk to the country’s food security.
Analysis of the Food System
Most of the foods consumed in India are cereal-based foods, including wheat, rice, and
millet. Rice and wheat are the main food crops to the Indian population. Maize in India is also a
common food; however, it is grown for both human and animal consumption. Other crops grown
in the country include millet, pulses, and sugarcane (Prabhakar et al., 2013). The variety of food
crops grown in the country is highly dependent on the variation in soils, climate, and cultivation
practices.
In India, there is a high prevalence of minor illnesses, for instance, fever, cough, and
diarrhea. The prevalence of the conditions varies with the socioeconomic conditions of the
country’s population. The conditions are highly prevalent among poor and uneducated
individuals (Brahmanand et al., 2013). Recently there have been improvements one the
prevalence of the diseases due to the improvement of the living conditions. At least 163 million
of the country’s citizen do not have access to clean water ( Aper, 2013). Also, due to climate

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change, the water sources have dried up hence reducing access to clean water. A significant
number of the Indian population depends on pit latrines, mainly in rural areas ( Aper, 2013). In
the urban areas, there is the availability of sewage systems; however, they are in a bad state due
to blockage and inadequate pumping capacities. Insufficient water and sanitation have significant
negative implications for the population leading to numerous cases of diarrhea. The country is
faced with gender inequalities in the right to access natural resources, including water and food
(Barik &Thorat, 2015). In the country, women, households are at a disadvantage in terms of
access to agricultural land and water since land in the country is predominantly owned by men,
while women are expected to offer most of the unskilled labor.
The main source of income in India is agriculture, which is also the primary source of
revenue for the country. The country's population depends on integrated markets where there is
the availability of food. The poor rural community spends more than 60 percent of their income
on food (Pinstrup-Andersen, 2015). The population is also faced with limited access to
diversified food, with a significant number of the country’s population living below the calorie-
based poverty line with a per capita income of approximately $1670 per year (Barik &Thorat,
2015). The country has food reserves whereby, in case of drought, the food is distributed at a
subsidized price to the different states. The food is bought from farmers when there is surplus
and is used in times of need when there is a limited source of food in the country (Mehta
&Kumar, 2017).
India is an agricultural driven country with a more significant part of its population
relying on agriculture for sustenance. Food is mainly obtained from the local markets and local
farms. Most of the country’s food imports come brazil, the United States, China, and Nepal
(Brahmanand et al., 2013). The country benefits from export revenues of numerous products,