Roadmap for Answer Writing
1. Introduction
- Context Setting: Start by acknowledging India’s status as a major food producer globally.
- Problem Statement: Despite being a top producer of food, India continues to rank poorly in terms of malnutrition indicators, highlighting the paradox.
- Fact to Mention: India is the world’s largest producer of milk and pulses, and the second-largest producer of rice, wheat, vegetables, and fruits.
- Global Hunger Index: Mention India’s ranking in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023 (111th), indicating the severity of malnutrition despite food availability.
2. Reasons for the Malnutrition Crisis
This section can be divided into subheadings to explain the key factors contributing to malnutrition.
- Poverty and Access to Nutritious Food:
- Explanation: High poverty rates lead to limited affordability and accessibility of a nutritious diet.
- Impact: Poor maternal health, insufficient healthcare, and lack of sanitation also exacerbate the crisis.
- Facts: As per NFHS-5, 18.7% of women of reproductive age suffer from malnutrition and 57% of women in this group are anemic. This is an indicator of widespread undernutrition in the country.
- Lack of Dietary Diversification:
- Explanation: The Green Revolution’s focus on staple crops like rice and wheat has led to an overemphasis on these crops, neglecting the need for a diversified diet.
- Impact: The lack of diversity in crops means insufficient access to micronutrients essential for child development and overall health.
- Facts: Open-ended procurement of wheat and rice at Minimum Support Price (MSP) discourages farmers from growing more diverse and nutritious crops.
- Overconsumption of Unhealthy Food:
- Explanation: The rise of processed, fried, and sugary foods leads to malnutrition as they provide empty calories without essential nutrients.
- Impact: Increased consumption of unhealthy foods contributes to poor health outcomes such as obesity and micronutrient deficiencies.
- Facts: Around 38% of India’s population consumes unhealthy foods such as salty or fried snacks (National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau).
- Inefficiencies in the Implementation of Nutrition Programs:
- Explanation: Government nutrition programs face administrative challenges such as corruption, poor targeting, and lack of coordination.
- Impact: These inefficiencies result in food and nutrition assistance not reaching the intended populations, leading to food insecurity and malnutrition.
- Facts: The Public Distribution System (PDS) suffers from leakages and mis-targeting of beneficiaries, leading to insufficient and inequitable food distribution.
3. Conclusion
- Summary: Reinforce the need for comprehensive solutions to address malnutrition.
- Key Solutions: Focus on improving diet diversification, better targeting in nutrition programs, and prioritizing maternal and child nutrition.
- SDG-2: Mention the importance of achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), which aims to ensure access to sufficient and nutritious food for all.
Relevant Facts
- India’s Food Production:
- India is the largest producer of milk and pulses and the second-largest producer of rice, wheat, vegetables, and fruits.
- Global Hunger Index (GHI):
- India ranks 111th in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023, indicating significant hunger and malnutrition issues despite its food production capacity.
- NFHS-5 Data:
- 18.7% of women of reproductive age suffer from malnutrition, and 57% of women in this group are anemic.
- National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau:
- 38% of India’s population consumes unhealthy foods like salty or fried snacks.
- Public Distribution System (PDS):
- Inefficiencies in PDS, including leakage and mis-targeting, prevent food from reaching the most vulnerable sections.
Model Answer
Introduction
India, despite being the world’s largest producer of milk and pulses and the second-largest producer of rice, wheat, vegetables, and fruits, ranks 111th in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023. This discrepancy highlights the persistent malnutrition crisis in the country, which continues to affect millions, especially among vulnerable populations.
Reasons for Malnutrition in India
1. Poverty and Accessibility Issues
High poverty levels severely limit the affordability and accessibility of nutritious food. Poor maternal nutrition, lack of adequate healthcare, and insufficient access to sanitation further contribute to malnutrition. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 18.7% of women of reproductive age suffer from malnutrition, and 57% of them are anemic. This malnutrition is passed on to children, perpetuating the cycle.
2. Lack of Dietary Diversification
The Green Revolution, while successful in increasing the production of staple crops like rice and wheat, failed to address the need for a diversified diet. The focus remained on high-yielding varieties of staples, neglecting the importance of essential micronutrients. Open-ended procurement of rice and wheat at Minimum Support Price (MSP) disincentivizes farmers from growing diverse, nutritious crops, further exacerbating the issue.
3. Overconsumption of Unhealthy Foods
A significant portion of the population in India consumes unhealthy, processed foods that are high in calories but lack essential nutrients. Approximately 38% of India’s population consumes salty or fried snacks, which contribute to poor health and malnutrition.
4. Inefficiencies in Nutrition Program Implementation
India’s extensive nutrition programs often suffer from inefficiencies such as administrative corruption, poor targeting of beneficiaries, and lack of coordination between government departments. For instance, the Public Distribution System (PDS) faces leakages, leading to food insecurity among many intended beneficiaries.
Conclusion
To tackle malnutrition effectively and achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-2, India needs to prioritize diet diversification, improve maternal nutrition, and enhance the monitoring and implementation of nutrition programs. This will ensure that every individual has access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food.