An Opportunity To Recast India’s Food System

Relevance: GS2 - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources; Issues relating to poverty and hunger; GS3 - Food Security

(Source: The Hindu, 20/10/2023)

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Why in the news?

• Recently, World Food Day was celebrated on October 16, which highlights the complexities of India's food system, which serves the largest global population.
• This article has discussed the challenges and interconnectedness of India's food system, with a focus on the need for a sustainable approach that addresses nutrition security, livelihoods, and environmental security.

Challenges of Food System in India

• Nutrition Security: India faces a double burden of malnutrition, with a significant portion of the population exhibiting nutrient deficiencies, while others are becoming obese due to imbalanced diets and sedentary lifestyles.
  • According to the National Family Health Survey, 2019-21, 35% of children are stunted, and 57% of women and 25% of men are anaemic. Due to imbalanced diets and sedentary lifestyles, 24% of adult women and 23% of adult men are now obese.
• Insufficient Farm Incomes: Marginal and small farmers struggle to make ends meet with non-farm activities. This highlights the need for more sustainable and remunerative agricultural practices.
  • According to a report by the Transforming Rural India Foundation, more than 68% of marginal farmers supplement their incomes with non-farm activities.
• Effect of Green Revolution: Although there has been significant progress in the country’s agricultural development due to the Green Revolution, It has also led to water-logging, soil erosion, groundwater depletion and the unsustainability of agriculture.
• Depleting Natural Resources: Soil health is deteriorating, with almost half of cultivable land in India lacking essential organic carbon. Groundwater, a vital source of irrigation, is rapidly declining in many regions, endangering farm incomes.
  • As in the 2023 soil health survey, almost half the cultivable land in India has become deficient in organic carbon, which is an essential indicator of soil health.
  • Groundwater, the largest source of irrigation, is rapidly declining. In States such as Punjab, more than 75% of the groundwater assessment locations are over-exploited, threatening the resilience of farm incomes.
• Climate Vulnerability: Changing climate patterns make Indian food production highly vulnerable, affecting the livelihoods of farmers and the overall resilience of the food system.
• Consumer Dietary Patterns: Encouraging consumers to shift towards healthier and more sustainable diets is a challenge, as it involves changing long-established dietary habits and preferences.
• Funding for Sustainable Agriculture: The funding for sustainable agriculture initiatives is currently less than 1% of the agricultural budget, which may hinder the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices.
• Value Chain Transformation: Transitioning to more sustainable and inclusive value chains requires changes in the procurement and distribution practices of middlemen, corporations, and agri-tech enterprises.
• Behavioral Change: Shifting the entire food system and encouraging all stakeholders, including consumers and producers, to embrace sustainable practices and dietary choices is a complex endeavor that may require significant behavioral change and awareness.

Creating Sustainable Food Systems: A Three-Sided Approach

• Shift in Consumer Demand: To shift consumer demand toward healthier and sustainable diets in India, corporations should emulate their efforts with imported oats and quinoa to promote locally-grown millets. Civil society and health influencers on social media can play a crucial role in driving these changes.
  • Additionally, the public sector, through various touch points like the Public Distribution System, mid-day meals, railways catering, and public procurement, must improve the diets of at least 70% of Indians.
• Ensure Resilient Incomes for Farmers: To ensure resilient farmer incomes, increase funding for sustainable agriculture, including diverse practices like agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and precision farming. The National Mission on Natural Farming is a step in this direction.
  • There should be a shift from input subsidies to per-hectare cash support for farmers to encourage efficient input use and level the playing field for agroecological practices. Allocate a portion of agricultural research and extension budgets to focus on sustainability.
• Sustainable Value Chains: Shift value chains to enhance rural incomes by promoting local value addition of agricultural products. Encourage corporations to directly procure from farmers, prioritize sustainable produce, and implement fair trade practices. Support agri-tech enterprises like DeHaat and Ninjacart for farm-to-buyer linkages. Enable trading of produce between Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to increase value for farmers.

Status of Food Security Globally

• According to the World Bank, hunger affected around 9.2% of the global population in 2022, marking an increase from 7.9% in 2019.
• The issue of moderate to severe food insecurity impacted a significant 29.6% of the world’s population, which translates to approximately 2.4 billion individuals in 2022. Among them, 11.3% were in the category of severely food insecure.
• The World Food Programme (WFP) projects that over 345 million people are grappling with high levels of food insecurity. This alarming figure is more than double the number reported in 2020.

Conclusion

India has the potential to create a model for a more sustainable and inclusive food system. While the transformation required is substantial, acting swiftly can position India as a global leader in building a food system that not only feeds its vast population but also ensures environmental sustainability and improved livelihoods.

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FAQs

MCQ

Question: The FAO accords the status of ‘Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)’ to traditional agricultural systems. What is the overall goal of this initiative? (UPSC 2016)

1. To provide modern technology, training in modern farming methods and financial support to local communities of identified GIAHS so as to greatly enhance their agricultural productivity.
2. To identify and safeguard eco-friendly traditional farm practices and their associated landscapes, agricultural biodiversity and knowledge systems of the local communities.
3. To provide Geographical Indication status to all the varieties of agricultural produce in such identified GIAHS.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3