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Food Security in India

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Food Security in India 44 Chapter Food Security in India Overview In the 1970s, food security was • Food security means availability, understood as the “availability at all times accessibility and affordability of food to of adequate supply of basic foodstuffs” (UN, 1975). Amartya Sen added a new all people at all times. The poor dimension to food security and households are more vulnerable to food emphasised the “access” to food through insecurity whenever there is a problem what he called ‘entitlements’ — a of production or distribution of food combination of what one can produce, crops. Food security depends on the exchange in the market alongwith state Public Distribution System (PDS) and or other socially provided supplies. government vigilance and action at Accordingly, there has been a substantial times, when this security is threatened. shift in the understanding of food security. The 1995 World Food Summit declared, What is food security? “Food security at the individual, Food is as essential for living as air is for household, regional, national and global breathing. But food security means levels exists when all people, at all times, something more than getting two square have physical and economic access to meals. Food security has following sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet dimensions their dietary needs and food preferences (a) availability of food means food for an active and healthy life” (FAO, 1996, p.3). The declaration further recognises production within the country, food that “poverty eradication is essential to imports and the previous years stock improve access to food”. stored in government granaries. (b) accessibility means food is within reach a national disaster/calamity like of every person. earthquake, drought, flood, tsunami, (c) affordability implies that an individual widespread failure of crops causing has enough money to buy sufficient, famine, etc. How is food security safe and nutritious food to meet one's affected during a calamity? Due to a dietary needs. natural calamity, say drought, total Thus, food security is ensured in a production of foodgrains decreases. It country only if (1) enough food is available creates a shortage of food in the affected for all the persons (2) all persons have areas. Due to shortage of food, the prices the capacity to buy food of acceptable goes up. At the high prices, some people quality and (3) there is no barrier on cannot afford to buy food. If such calamity access to food. happens in a very wide spread area or is stretched over a longer time period, it Why food security? may cause a situation of starvation. The poorest section of the society might A massive starvation might take a turn be food insecure most of the times while of famine. persons above the poverty line might also A Famine is characterised by wide be food insecure when the country faces spread deaths due to starvation and 42 Economics 2021–22 epidemics caused by forced use of Do you know who were affected the contaminated water or decaying food and most by the famine? The agricultural loss of body resistance due to weakening labourers, fishermen, transport from starvation. workers and other casual labourers The most devastating famine that were affected the most by dramatically occurred in India was the FAMINE OF increasing price of rice. They were the BENGAL in 1943. This famine killed thirty ones who died in this famine. lakh people in the province of Bengal. Table 4.1: Production of Rice in the Province of Bengal Year Production Imports Exports Total Availability (Lakh tonnes) (Lakh tonnes) (Lakh tonnes) (Lakh tonnes) 1938 85 – – 85 1939 79 04 – 83 1940 82 03 – 85 1941 68 02 – 70 1942 93 – 01 92 1943 76 03 – 79 Source: Sen, A.K, 1981 Page 61 Let’s Discuss 1. Some people say that the Bengal famine happened because there was a shortage of rice. Study the table and find out whether you agree with the statement? 2. Which year shows a drastic decline in food availability? Picture 4.1 Starvation victims arriving at a Picture 4.2 During the Bengal Famine of relief centre, 1945. 1943, a family leaves its village in Chittagong district in Bengal. Food Security in India 43 2021–22 Suggested Activity engaged in seasonal activities and are paid very low wages that just ensure bare (a) What do you see in Picture 4.1? survival. (b) Which age group is seen in the first Story of Ramu picture? (c) Can you say that the family shown in Ramu works as a casual labourer the Picture 4.2 is a poor family? why? in agriculture in Raipur village. His (d) Can you imagine the source of eldest son Somu who is 10 years old livelihood of the people, (shown in two also works as a pali to look after the Pictures) before the occurrence of cattle of the Sarpanch of the village famine? (In the context of a village) Satpal Singh. Somu is employed for the whole year by the Sarpanch and (e) Find out what type of help is given to is paid a sum of Rs 1,000 for this the victims of a natural calamity at a work. Ramu has three more sons relief camp. and two daughters but they are too (f) Have you ever helped such victims (in young to work on the field. His wife the form of money, food, clothes, Sunhari is also (part time) working medicines etc.) as house cleaner for the livestock, PROJECT WORK: Gather more removing and managing cow dung. information about famines in India. She gets ½ litre milk and some cooked food along with vegetables Nothing like Bengal famine has for her daily work. Besides she also happened in India again. It is, however, works in the field along with her disturbing to note that even today, famine husband in the busy season and like conditions exist in many parts of the supplements his earnings. country, leading to starvation deaths at Agriculture being a seasonal times. Natural calamities and pandemics activity employs Ramu only during may also lead to food shortage. For times of sowing, transplanting and example Covid-19 pandemic had an harvesting. He remains unemployed adverse impact upon the food security. for about 4 months during the Restriction on movement of people and period of plant consolidation and goods and services impacted economic maturing in a year. He looks for activity. Therefore food security is needed work in other activities. Some times in a country to ensure food at all times, he gets employment in brick laying including calamities and pandemics or in construction activities in the village. By all his efforts, Ramu is Who are food-insecure? able to earn enough either in cash Although a large section of people suffer or kind for him to buy essentials for from food and nutrition insecurity in two square meals for his family. India, the worst affected groups are However, during the days when he landless people with little or no land to is unable to get some work, he and depend upon, traditional artisans, his family really face difficulties and providers of traditional services, petty self- sometimes his small kids have to employed workers and destitutes sleep without food. Milk and including beggars. In the urban areas, the vegetables are not a regular part of food insecure families are those whose meals in the family. Ramu is food working members are generally employed insecure during 4 months when he in ill-paid occupations and casual labour remains unemployed because of the market. These workers are largely seasonal nature of agriculture work. 44 Economics 2021–22 Let’s Discuss run his family even with small earnings from rickshaw-pulling? • Why is agriculture a seasonal activity? The social composition along with the • Why is Ramu unemployed for about inability to buy food also plays a role in four months in a year? food insecurity. The SCs, STs and some • What does Ramu do when he is sections of the OBCs (lower castes among unemployed? them) who have either poor land-base or • Who are supplementing income in very low land productivity are prone to Ramu’s family? food insecurity. The people affected by • Why does Ramu face difficulty when natural disasters, who have to migrate to he is unable to have work? other areas in search of work, are also • When is Ramu food insecure? among the most food insecure people. A Story of Ahmad high incidence of malnutrition prevails among women. This is a matter of serious Ahmad is a rickshaw puller in concern as it puts even the unborn baby Bangalore. He has shifted from at the risk of malnutrition. A large Jhumri Taliah along with his 3 proportion of pregnant and nursing brothers, 2 sisters and old parents. mothers and children under the age of 5 He stays in a jhuggi. The survival of years constitute an important segment of all members of his family depends on the food insecure population. his daily earnings from pulling rickshaw. However, he does not have a secured employment and his According to the National Health and earnings fluctuate every day. During Family Survey (NHFS) 1998–99, the some days he gets enough earning for number of such women and children is him to save some amount after buying approximately 11 crore. all his day-to-day necessities. On other days, he barely earns enough The food insecure people are to buy his daily necessities. However, disproportionately large in some regions fortunately, Ahmad has a yellow card, of the country, such as economically which is PDS Card for below poverty backward states with high incidence of line people.
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