FOOD PROBLEM IN INDIA !

Challenges for INDIA in terms of food security/ problem:

Back to past: - Separation of Burma forced India to import rice; the Partition in 1947 made India dependent on import of wheat.

1. Occasional crop failures due to failure of monsoons have had been the basic causes for the origin of food problem in India.

2. After partition the country received about 82 per cent of the population but had to manage with nearly 45 per cent of the total cultivated area under cereals and with 69 per cent of the irrigated area.

3. Rice production fluctuated around 60 million tones for five years and then followed the rising trend from 1988–89.

4. Wheat production had been staggering around 45 million tones for five years before a quantum jump in 1988–89. But there was a fall in wheat production during 1989–90, which was attributed to shift of wheat area to oilseeds for getting better prices of the produce.

5. The major concern of the Government was to increase the domestic supplies either through increased production or through imports.

6. India imported 4.1 million Tonnes of cereals in 1982-83, 2.4 million Tonnes in 1983-84 and also in 1987-88. In 1993, the Government has taken a decision to import 1 million Tonnes of wheat for direct sale in the market and not for replenishing its buffer stocks.

7. The Government of India entered into an agreement in 1956 with the USA known as PL 480 agreement for the import of rice and wheat. The Government found the PL 480 food imports a good tool to stabilize food prices in the country. In fact, PL 480 imports were the basis of our agricultural and industrial development.

8. Between 1967–68 and 1989–90, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh had recorded annual growth rates of 5.4, 4.0 and 3.4 per cent, respectively in food grains production. These states are the backbone of our public distribution system. These states have insulated the country from a food grains crisis.

9. The food for work programme has been designed since 1977–78 to provide work for the rural poor, the unemployed and the famine-stricken people and at the same time create durable community assets.

10. A general agreement that the food problem in India is mainly due to the increasing population (consequently increasing food demand), inadequate supply of food grains and some aspects of the Government’s policy on food.

Measures to eradicate the food problems:

1. Intensive cultivation through use of improved varieties and the liberal use of irrigation and fertilizers is being vigorously extended in the country ushering in the green revolution.

2. Approach to agricultural development is the organizational approach i.e., by adequate and efficient organization, which includes not only the governmental administrative system but the entire framework of official and semi-official institutions and agencies.

3. The Government has been pursuing many lands reform measures such as consolidation of holdings, ceiling on holdings, regulation of tenures and the formation of cooperative farms. Since there are many loopholes in the regulation of land reforms, there is urgent need to plug these loopholes through effective legislations on the part of the Government.

4. From over two million tons in 1956, the public distribution system has handled over 19 million tones in 1987–88. under the PDS should be increased for the lean period.

5. Maintenance of stocks at high level, extension of internal procurement, stepping up of government purchase of food grains for release through fair price shops, measures to curb hoarding and profiteering and fixation of maximum control prices.

QUESTIONS:

Involvement of greenhouse emission in food problem?

Excess food waste usually ends up in landfills, creating potent greenhouse gases which have dire environmental implications.

Impact of pandemic COVID 19?

lockdown imposed last year, surplus stocks of grain — pegged at 65 lakh Tonnes in the first four months of 2020 — continued to rot in Godowns across India. Access to food became extremely scarce for the poor, especially daily-wage laborers

Role of Food wastage in households?

As per the Food Waste Index Report 2021, a staggering 50 kg of food is thrown away per person every year in Indian homes.

Losses at Pre-consumption?

Nearly 40% of the food produced in India is wasted every year due to fragmented food systems and inefficient supply chains.

what is National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA)?

It marks a paradigm shift in the approach to food security from welfare to rights-based approach.

NFSA covers 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population under:

Antyodaya Anna Yojana: It constitute the poorest of-the-poor, are entitled to receive 35 kg of foodgrains per household per month.

Priority Households (PHH): Households covered under PHH category are entitled to receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month. The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards.

• In addition, the act lays down special provisions for children between the ages of 6 months and 14 years old, which allows them to receive a nutritious meal for free through a widespread network of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centers, known as Anganwadi Centers.

Is Deteriorating Soil Health responsible for food problems in India?

A key element of food production is healthy soil because nearly 95% of global food production depends on soil. Soil degradation due to excessive or inappropriate use of agrochemicals, deforestation and natural calamities is a significant challenge to sustainable food production. About one-third of the earth’s soil is already degraded.

Involvement of war between Russia and Ukraine affected the food reserves?

Russia and Ukraine represent 27% of the world market for wheat, 26 countries, mainly in Africa, West Asia and Asia, depend on Russia and Ukraine for more than 50% of their wheat imports.

BY KHAS.