GS Paper 2
Syllabus: Government policies and interventions
Source: TH
Context: The Global Report on the Food Crises (GRFC) 2023 released recently estimated that between 691 million and 783 million people in the world suffered from hunger in 2022 ( showing levels far higher than pre-pandemic 2019)
Read the description of GRFC: Here
What is food security?
Food security is defined (from the World Food Summit of 1996) thus: “When all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active, and healthy life”.
The report highlights that:
- Global hunger remains high
- The prevalence of undernourishment is far above pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels
- Stunting and child wasting have declined
- Childhood obesity has shown a non-significant increase
- The number of people unable to afford a healthy diet remains substantial (about 3 billion people)
- The cost of a healthy diet has increased globally
- A comparison of food insecurity among rural, peri-urban and urban populations reveals that global food insecurity is lower in urban areas.
- A significant number of people will be chronically undernourished by 2030
What are the key drivers of food insecurity?
- Economic downturns in major economies
- Pandemic-related disruptions in 2020 led to job losses and reduced incomes for many people
- Ukraine war
- Flawed governmental policies
- Increasing urbanisation that drives changes through the agrifood systems
Solutions recommended by the report:
| Solutions | Recommendations |
| Identify vulnerable population groups | Through informed decision-making and effective action through targeted policies and programs |
| Promote sound nutrition | Make nutrition a priority in government policy, supported by civil society and the private sector |
| Support healthier food outlets | Enable access to healthy diets |
| Encourage fresh and minimally processed food sales | Provide policy incentives for shops to sell more fresh and minimally processed foods |
| Improve street food safety and quality | Address infrastructure and regulatory gaps to enhance nutritional safety and quality |
| Build rural infrastructure | Develop quality rural and feeder roads to connect remote farms and enterprises to main road networks |
| Support linkages between small farms and enterprises | Invest in warehousing, cold storage, electrification, digital tools, and water supply |
| Leverage local governments | Involve local governments in implementing policies for affordable and available healthy diets |
Related news:
Global Parliamentary Pact
Source: DTE,
Global parliamentarians have formed a new multilateral body to address the issues of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in the agrifood system.
At the Global Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition in Chile, parliamentarians from 64 countries signed the Global Parliamentary Pact, committing to push for reforms in the agrifood system to make food sustainable and accessible to all.
Features of the Pact:
- The pact includes drafting legislation for food equity and budgetary support
- Aim: The initiative aims to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals of zero poverty, hunger, and malnutrition by 2030
- Political Support: The pact lends political support to policies concerning agrifood system reform, including drafting legislation for equitable food distribution and providing budgetary support.
- Progress Reporting: Parliamentarians pledged to report progress on various reforms, ensuring accountability in achieving the goals.
- Legislative Impact: The pact has led to the processing and approval of 35 laws covering various aspects, such as family farming, responsible investment in agriculture, gender equality, and food loss and waste.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization facilitates the parliamentary initiative on agrifood systems, with 45 national, regional, and sub-regional parliamentary networks committing to it.
What is the Agrifood system?
The agrifood system refers to the entire process of producing, processing, distributing, and consuming food, including all the activities and actors involved in the food supply chain. It encompasses agricultural production, food processing, transportation, storage, retail, and consumption.
Insta Links:
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023
Mains Links:
Examine the various threats to India’s food security. Suggest measures in order to have sufficient production and proper distribution of food grains amidst rising geopolitical tensions. (15M)
