By Mithilesh Kumar Sinha
One of the most complicated problems of sustainable development is how the world will feed itself. An increase in global wealth can hardly address the problem of hunger. After the Green Revolution in terms of high-yield crop varieties in the 1960s, it seemed that food production would inevitably take care of the burgeoning world population.
Alas, we have now realised that hunger is virtually endemic in most parts of the world and a large percentage of humanity is poorly fed. Hunger is a global challenge. The number of hungry people is growing and multiple forms of malnutrition are evident in many countries. Millions of people are going to sleep every night with pangs of hunger. Even developed countries cannot boast of being completely free from hunger.
The latest United Nations report entitled ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018’ confirms that the number of hungry people has been growing over the past three years, rising to 821 million in 2017 or one in every nine people in the world. The situation is worsening in South America and most regions of Africa; likewise, the decreasing trend in undernourishment that characterised Asia until recently seems to be slowing down significantly.
According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, the world’s population suffering from hunger — the food they consume isn’t sufficient to provide the minimum dietary energy requirement for leading a normal, active and healthy life — rose to 784.4 million in 2015, 804.2 million in 2016 and 820.8 million in 2017, from the 2014 low of 783.7 million. In relative terms, too, the share of the undernourished in the world population has gone up from 10.7% to 10.9% since 2014.
India, with a population of over 1.3 billion, has seen tremendous growth in the past two decades. Gross Domestic Product has increased 4.5 times and per capita consumption has increased 3 times. Similarly, food grain production has increased almost 2 times. However, despite phenomenal industrial and economic growth and while India produces sufficient food to feed its population, it is unable to provide access to food to a large number of people, especially women and children
According to FAO estimates in ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2018” report, 195.9 million people are undernourished in India. By this measure 14.8% of the population is undernourished in India. Also, 51.4% of women in reproductive age between 15 to 49 years are anaemic. Further according to the report 38.4% of the children aged under five in India are stunted (too short for their age), while 21% suffer from wasting, meaning their weight is too low for their height. Malnourished children have a higher risk of death from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria. The Global Hunger Index 2017 ranks India at 100 out of 119 countries on the basis of three leading indicators -- prevalence of wasting and stunting in children under 5 years, under 5 child mortality rate, and the proportion of undernourished in the population.
India has been ranked at the 103rd position among 119 countries on the Global Hunger Index, says a report. According to the report, prepared by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide, India is among the 45 countries that have “serious levels of hunger”. In 2017, India was ranked at the 100th position but ranking for this year is not comparable
Ways Out: India wastes about 7% of its total annual food production and almost 30% of the fruits and vegetables because of inadequate warehousing facilities and cold storages. So, food waste needs to be reduced. The road from farm to market must be paved. We must innovate and invest in making our supply chains more efficient by developing sustainable durable markets. Agricultural crop diversity will potentially provide communities with the nutrients required for healthy growth and an active lifestyle. To address the challenges of climate change, food availability and access, we need to help farmers explore and identify a more diverse range of crops.
We must join in saving lives, changing lives and feeding dreams. Let’s collaborate to innovate, create sustainable solutions and reach out to those who need a hand up, not a hand out. If we work together, we will achieve the SDGs and a world free of hunger – a Zero Hunger World.
Mithilesh Kumar Sinha is a Finance Officer at Nagaland University, Lumami
