Food Security in India

Given/Concept: Food security means availability, accessibility, and affordability of food to all people at all times.

Answer:

Food security in India is ensured through the following mechanisms:

1. Buffer Stock: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) procures food grains (wheat and rice) from farmers at a pre-announced Minimum Support Price (MSP). This stock is maintained to meet any emergency situation such as drought, flood, or other calamities.

2. Public Distribution System (PDS): The stored food grains are distributed to the poorer sections of society through a network of Fair Price Shops (ration shops) at subsidised prices called the Issue Price. This ensures that even the poor can afford food.

3. Poverty Alleviation Programmes with a food component:
- Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) — provides nutrition to children and mothers.
- Mid-Day Meal Scheme — provides cooked meals to school children.
- Food-for-Work (FFW) — provides food grains as wages to workers on government projects.
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) — provides highly subsidised food grains to the poorest of the poor.

4. Role of Cooperatives and NGOs: Various cooperatives (e.g., Mother Dairy, Amul) and NGOs also contribute to food security by making food available at reasonable prices.

Conclusion: Through the combination of buffer stock, PDS, and various government schemes, India ensures that food is available, accessible, and affordable to all sections of society.

Concept: Food insecurity means lack of access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

People more prone to food insecurity are:

1. Landless or land-poor households in rural areas — They have little or no agricultural land and depend on daily wages, making them vulnerable.

2. Traditional artisans, petty self-employed workers, and destitute persons — Their irregular income makes it difficult to afford food regularly.

3. Casual labourers engaged in seasonal activities — They earn only during certain seasons and face hunger during the off-season (seasonal hunger).

4. People in urban areas employed in ill-paid occupations — Rag pickers, beggars, street vendors, etc., earn very little and cannot afford adequate food.

5. SC/ST and Other Backward Class (OBC) households — Social discrimination and poverty make them more vulnerable.

6. Pregnant and nursing mothers, and children under 5 years — They have higher nutritional needs and are more susceptible to malnutrition.

7. Victims of natural disasters — People affected by floods, droughts, earthquakes, etc., suddenly lose their income and food access.

Conclusion: The worst affected are the landless poor in rural areas and the ill-paid casual workers in urban areas.

Concept: Food insecurity is not uniform across India; it is concentrated in certain regions.

States more food insecure in India:

1. Economically backward states with high incidence of poverty:
- Uttar Pradesh (eastern and south-eastern parts)
- Bihar
- Jharkhand
- Odisha
- West Bengal
- Chhattisgarh
- Parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra

2. Tribal and remote areas across various states face chronic food insecurity due to lack of infrastructure and income opportunities.

3. Regions prone to natural disasters such as floods (Assam, Bihar) and droughts (Rajasthan, parts of Maharashtra) also experience periodic food insecurity.

Reason: These states have a high proportion of people living below the poverty line, low agricultural productivity, poor infrastructure, and limited employment opportunities, all of which contribute to food insecurity.

Conclusion: The food insecure population is disproportionately large in the states mentioned above, requiring special attention from the government.

Yes, the Green Revolution has made India largely self-sufficient in food grains.

How the Green Revolution achieved this:

1. Introduction of High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds: In the late 1960s, HYV seeds of wheat and rice were introduced, which gave much higher yields per hectare compared to traditional seeds.

2. Increased production: India's food grain production rose dramatically:
- Production increased from about 50 million tonnes in the 1950s to more than 200 million tonnes by the 1990s.

3. Use of modern inputs: The Green Revolution encouraged the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and irrigation, which boosted productivity.

4. Punjab, Haryana, and western UP became the major beneficiaries and the 'granary of India', contributing significantly to the central pool of food grains.

5. Buffer stock creation: The surplus production allowed the government to build buffer stocks through the FCI, which helped manage food shortages during droughts and famines.

6. Reduction of imports: India, which once depended heavily on food grain imports (e.g., PL-480 imports from the USA), became self-sufficient and even began exporting food grains.

Conclusion: The Green Revolution transformed India from a food-deficit country to a food-surplus country, ensuring national-level food security. However, the benefits were not evenly distributed — some regions and crops benefited more than others.

Concept: Despite achieving self-sufficiency in food grain production, food insecurity persists for a section of the population due to poverty and lack of purchasing power.

Reasons why a section of people in India are still without food:

1. Poverty and lack of purchasing power: Many people are too poor to buy food even when it is available in the market. Food availability does not automatically mean food accessibility.

2. Unemployment and low wages: Landless labourers, casual workers, and the urban poor earn very little and cannot afford two square meals a day.

3. Natural calamities: Droughts, floods, cyclones, and earthquakes destroy crops and livelihoods, pushing people into sudden food insecurity.

4. Unequal distribution: Food production has increased, but its distribution remains unequal. The benefits of the Green Revolution were concentrated in certain regions (Punjab, Haryana, western UP) and among richer farmers.

5. Seasonal hunger: Agricultural labourers face hunger during the lean agricultural season when there is no work and no income.

6. Chronic hunger: People with very low incomes face chronic hunger as they cannot afford adequate food throughout the year.

7. Inefficiency in PDS: Leakages, corruption, and poor targeting in the Public Distribution System mean that food subsidies do not always reach the intended beneficiaries.

8. Social discrimination: SC/ST communities and women often face discrimination in access to food and resources.

Conclusion: The problem of food insecurity in India is not one of production but of distribution and purchasing power. Poverty remains the root cause of hunger for a large section of the population.

Concept: Natural disasters disrupt both food production and distribution, leading to a sharp fall in food supply.

Effects of a disaster or calamity on food supply:

1. Decline in food production: Natural calamities such as drought, flood, cyclone, earthquake, or tsunami destroy standing crops, leading to a sharp fall in food grain production in the affected area.

2. Shortage of food: The total supply of food in the market decreases, creating a situation of food shortage.

3. Rise in food prices: Due to the shortage, prices of food grains and other food items rise steeply, making food unaffordable for the poor.

4. Widespread food insecurity: Even people who were previously food secure may become food insecure because they lose their crops, livestock, and livelihoods.

5. Famine-like conditions: In extreme cases, prolonged food shortage can lead to famine, starvation, and even death, as seen in the Bengal Famine of 1943.

6. Government intervention: The government releases food grains from the buffer stock to increase supply in the affected areas and stabilise prices.

Conclusion: A disaster severely disrupts the supply of food, causing shortages and price rise. The buffer stock maintained by the government plays a crucial role in managing such situations.

Concept: Hunger can be of two types — seasonal and chronic — depending on its duration and cause.

| Basis | Seasonal Hunger | Chronic Hunger |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Hunger that occurs only during a particular season or period of the year. | Hunger that persists throughout the year on a continuous basis. |
| Cause | Caused by the seasonal nature of agricultural activities — no work and no income during the lean season. | Caused by very low and inadequate income that is insufficient to buy enough food throughout the year. |
| Who is affected | Mainly agricultural labourers and casual workers who get work only during the sowing and harvesting seasons. | People who are chronically poor — those with very low wages or no regular employment. |
| Duration | Temporary — lasts for a few months (lean season). | Permanent — lasts throughout the year. |
| Nature | Periodic and predictable. | Continuous and persistent. |
| Example | A farm labourer who has no work and no income between two crop seasons. | A daily wage worker whose income is so low that he cannot afford two meals a day even when employed. |

Conclusion: Both types of hunger are serious problems. Seasonal hunger is more common in rural areas, while chronic hunger affects both rural and urban poor. Government schemes like Mid-Day Meals and PDS help address both types.

Introduction: The Indian government has taken several steps to ensure food security for the poor through a combination of buffer stock, Public Distribution System (PDS), and various poverty alleviation programmes.

Government measures for food security:
- Procurement of food grains at MSP by FCI.
- Maintenance of buffer stock.
- Distribution through PDS/Fair Price Shops.
- Launch of special food security schemes.

Two important schemes launched by the government:

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Scheme 1: Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) — launched in December 2000

- Target group: The 'poorest of the poor' — the most destitute families among the BPL population.
- Benefit: Each identified family is entitled to 35 kg of food grains per month at highly subsidised prices:
- Wheat at ₹2 per kg
- Rice at ₹3 per kg
- Coverage: Initially covered 1 crore families; later expanded.
- Significance: It specifically targets the most vulnerable and ensures they do not go hungry.

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Scheme 2: Mid-Day Meal Scheme

- Target group: School children in government and government-aided primary schools.
- Benefit: A free cooked nutritious meal is provided to children during school hours.
- Objectives:
- Improve the nutritional status of children.
- Increase school enrolment and attendance.
- Reduce dropout rates.
- Help children concentrate better in studies.
- Significance: It addresses both food insecurity and education simultaneously.

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Conclusion: Through these and other schemes (ICDS, Food-for-Work, PDS), the government has created a comprehensive food security system to protect the poor from hunger and malnutrition.

Definition: Buffer stock is the stock of food grains (wheat and rice) procured by the government through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) from surplus states and stored in granaries.

Reasons why the government creates buffer stock:

1. To manage food shortages during calamities: During droughts, floods, or other natural disasters, food production falls sharply. The buffer stock is used to supply food to the affected areas and prevent starvation.

2. To stabilise food prices: When food prices rise due to shortage, the government releases food grains from the buffer stock into the market to increase supply and bring prices down.

3. To ensure food availability throughout the year: Agricultural production is seasonal, but food consumption is year-round. Buffer stock bridges the gap between production seasons.

4. To distribute food through PDS: The buffer stock serves as the source of food grains distributed through Fair Price Shops (ration shops) to BPL and APL families at subsidised prices.

5. To achieve national food security: Maintaining a minimum buffer stock ensures that the country is always prepared to meet any food emergency without depending on imports.

How it is created:
- The FCI purchases food grains from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
- The grains are stored in FCI warehouses and granaries across the country.

Conclusion: Buffer stock is a crucial instrument of India's food security system, ensuring that food is available and affordable to all citizens at all times, especially during emergencies.

(a) Minimum Support Price (MSP)

- Definition: MSP is the price at which the government (through FCI) purchases food grains from farmers, announced before the sowing season.
- Purpose:
- To protect farmers from a fall in prices due to bumper production or market fluctuations.
- To incentivise farmers to produce more food grains.
- To ensure a fair and remunerative price to the farmer for their produce.
- How it works: If market prices fall below MSP, the government buys the crop at MSP, guaranteeing the farmer a minimum income.
- Significance: It encourages farmers to invest in better seeds, fertilisers, and technology, thereby increasing production.
- Example: MSP is announced for crops like wheat, rice, pulses, oilseeds, etc., every year by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

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(b) Buffer Stock

- Definition: Buffer stock is the stock of food grains (mainly wheat and rice) procured by the government through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) from surplus states and stored in government granaries.
- Purpose:
- To distribute food grains in deficit areas and among the poor at affordable prices.
- To resolve the problem of shortage of food during adverse weather conditions or during periods of calamity.
- To stabilise food prices in the market.
- How it is built: FCI buys food grains from farmers at MSP and stores them in warehouses.
- Significance: It is the backbone of India's food security system, ensuring that food is always available for distribution through PDS.

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(c) Issue Price

- Definition: Issue price is the subsidised price at which food grains are sold to consumers through Fair Price Shops (ration shops) under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
- Key feature: The issue price is always lower than the market price (and even lower than the procurement price), with the government bearing the difference as a food subsidy.
- Different issue prices for different categories:
- APL (Above Poverty Line) families — food grains at a price closer to the economic cost.
- BPL (Below Poverty Line) families — food grains at a lower subsidised price.
- AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) families — food grains at the most highly subsidised price (wheat at ₹2/kg, rice at ₹3/kg).
- Significance: The issue price makes food affordable for the poor and is a key tool of food security policy.

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(d) Fair Price Shops (Ration Shops)

- Definition: Fair Price Shops, commonly known as ration shops, are shops that sell food grains and other essential commodities to ration card holders at subsidised (issue) prices under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
- Items sold: Wheat, rice, sugar, kerosene, and sometimes pulses and edible oils.
- How they work:
- Families are issued ration cards based on their income level (APL, BPL, or AAY).
- They can purchase a fixed quota of food grains every month from their designated ration shop at the issue price.
- Number: There are about 5.5 lakh Fair Price Shops across India, making it one of the largest distribution networks in the world.
- Significance: Fair Price Shops are the last link in the food security chain, directly connecting the government's food security system with the consumer.
- Limitation: They have been criticised for poor quality of food grains, irregular supply, corruption, and ghost beneficiaries.

Introduction: Although the Public Distribution System (PDS) through ration shops is a vital component of India's food security system, it suffers from several serious problems.

Problems in the functioning of ration shops:

1. Poor quality of food grains: The food grains distributed through ration shops are often of inferior quality. Shopkeepers sometimes mix poor quality grains with the stock and sell the better quality grains in the open market at higher prices.

2. Irregular and inadequate supply: Ration shops often do not receive their full quota of food grains on time, leading to irregular supply. Consumers cannot always get their entitled quota.

3. Corruption and malpractices: Ration shop dealers engage in corrupt practices such as:
- Selling subsidised food grains in the open market at higher prices (diversion of PDS grains).
- Maintaining fake ration cards (ghost beneficiaries) to claim more stock.
- Short-weighing the food grains given to consumers.

4. Unviable business for dealers: Many ration shop dealers find the business unviable because the margins are very low. This leads to lack of interest in maintaining the shop properly.

5. Exclusion errors: Many genuinely poor families are left out of the BPL list and do not get ration cards, while some non-poor families are incorrectly included (inclusion errors).

6. Limited variety of items: Ration shops stock only a few items (wheat, rice, sugar, kerosene), which does not meet the complete nutritional needs of the poor.

7. Inconvenient location and timings: In remote and tribal areas, ration shops may be far away, and their timings may not be convenient for daily wage workers.

8. Lack of transparency: There is often a lack of transparency in the allocation and distribution of food grains, making it difficult for consumers to know their entitlements.

Conclusion: These problems reduce the effectiveness of the PDS in achieving food security. Reforms such as computerisation of ration cards, GPS tracking of PDS vehicles, and social audits have been introduced to address these issues.

Introduction: In addition to the government, cooperatives have played a significant role in ensuring food security by making food and related items available at reasonable prices, especially to the poor and middle-class consumers.

Role of Cooperatives in providing food and related items:

1. Mother Dairy (Delhi):
- Mother Dairy is a cooperative that supplies milk and vegetables to consumers in Delhi at controlled and reasonable prices.
- It is set up by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and operates under the cooperative framework.
- It ensures that dairy farmers get fair prices for their milk while consumers get quality milk at affordable rates.

2. Amul (Gujarat):
- Amul (Anand Milk Union Limited) is one of the most successful cooperative models in the world.
- It is a dairy cooperative based in Anand, Gujarat, and is managed by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).
- Amul collects milk from millions of small and marginal farmers and processes it into various dairy products (milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, etc.).
- It has revolutionised India's dairy sector through Operation Flood (White Revolution), making India the world's largest milk producer.
- It provides fair prices to farmers and affordable dairy products to consumers.

3. Cooperatives in Tamil Nadu:
- In Tamil Nadu, cooperatives run shops that provide food items to the poor at subsidised rates, supplementing the government's PDS.

4. Academy of Development Science (ADS) — Maharashtra:
- ADS is an NGO that has facilitated a network of grain banks in the tribal regions of Maharashtra.
- It provides food security to tribal communities during lean seasons.

5. General benefits of cooperatives:
- They eliminate middlemen, ensuring better prices for both producers and consumers.
- They provide credit and inputs to farmers, improving agricultural productivity.
- They help in storage and marketing of agricultural produce.
- They empower small and marginal farmers by giving them collective bargaining power.

Conclusion: Cooperatives like Amul and Mother Dairy have demonstrated that community-based organisations can effectively contribute to food security by ensuring fair prices for producers and affordable food for consumers. They complement the government's efforts and play a vital role in India's food security system.