Food security plays twin role in the process of development. First it contributes human development improving health indicators and second it accelerates growth improving productivity of labour. Food Security is a multidimensional concept. This chapter examines the six dimensions of food security; availability; accessibility; stability; utilization; agency; and sustainability in the context of Indian economy. Using secondary data the temporal trends of the indicators under the six dimensional framework have been analyzed. The analysis of per capita availability and accessibility of food grains shows that both are increasing. India is self-sufficient to produce its own food. Despite that, a persistent puzzle such that per capita consumption increases whereas per capita nutritional intake decreases had been identified in 2010s. After a persistent fall, per capita calorie and protein intake started rising since 2011–12. This study explores an inverse relation between women’s participation in labour force and prevalence of undernutrition in recent time. The trend of sustainability indicators confirms sustainability of our agriculture not in an alarming situation. However, recent health and hunger indicators are disappointing. Some of them are deteriorating further in recent years. The analysis suggests for introducing universal PDS and extending procurement for some non-cereal products to improve the hunger situation. Opening of opportunity for employment for women, and investment in environmental friendly water management, and biotechnology for sustainability of agriculture may be effective for improving health and hunger statistics of India.

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Temporal Trend of Food Security in India: Dimensions and Dilemmas

  • Supravat Bagli,
  • Papita Dutta

摘要

Food security plays twin role in the process of development. First it contributes human development improving health indicators and second it accelerates growth improving productivity of labour. Food Security is a multidimensional concept. This chapter examines the six dimensions of food security; availability; accessibility; stability; utilization; agency; and sustainability in the context of Indian economy. Using secondary data the temporal trends of the indicators under the six dimensional framework have been analyzed. The analysis of per capita availability and accessibility of food grains shows that both are increasing. India is self-sufficient to produce its own food. Despite that, a persistent puzzle such that per capita consumption increases whereas per capita nutritional intake decreases had been identified in 2010s. After a persistent fall, per capita calorie and protein intake started rising since 2011–12. This study explores an inverse relation between women’s participation in labour force and prevalence of undernutrition in recent time. The trend of sustainability indicators confirms sustainability of our agriculture not in an alarming situation. However, recent health and hunger indicators are disappointing. Some of them are deteriorating further in recent years. The analysis suggests for introducing universal PDS and extending procurement for some non-cereal products to improve the hunger situation. Opening of opportunity for employment for women, and investment in environmental friendly water management, and biotechnology for sustainability of agriculture may be effective for improving health and hunger statistics of India.