FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES, POLICIES

In India a high level of hunger and malnutrition perseveres although we have rapid economic growth in the last two decades. It may take some more time before we eradicate it utterly. However, the disadvantaged communities like Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, rural and urban poor still suffer the most. Nourishment is the focal point of health and wellbeing. It is directly linked to the human resource development, productivity and affluence of a country. Health status of any individual or a community is directly indicated by the nourishing status of the particular individual or community. Raising the nutritional status of the population has been a global concern and therefore food security has been the major concern of governments particularly in developing countries. The term food security has many conceptual aspects. A group of experts primarily consider food security synonym to availability of food at national, regional, household and individual level. The amount and quality of food available globally, nationally and locally can be pretentious temporarily or for long periods by many factors including climate, disasters, wars, civil unset, population size and growth, agricultural practices, environment, social status and trade. Food security exists when all people, at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Food security is a condition related to the supply of food, and individuals’ access to it. The final report of the 1996 World Food Summit states that food security “exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.