{"id":51607,"date":"2025-08-19T18:47:51","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T13:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=51607"},"modified":"2025-08-19T19:53:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T14:23:58","slug":"ending-path-india-global-hunger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/19-08-2025\/ending-path-india-global-hunger","title":{"rendered":"Path to Ending Global Hunger Runs Through India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Issues Relating To Hunger<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India has emerged as a pivotal force in driving global progress, as the world begins to turn a corner in its fight against hunger.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s progress is credited to India\u2019s transformative approach to food security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Global Hunger Trends<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the <strong>United Nations\u2019 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025<\/strong> report, 673 million people faced hunger in 2024<strong><em> <\/em><\/strong>(688 million in 2023).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hunger <strong>continues to rise in Africa and Western Asia<\/strong>, with over 20% of Africa\u2019s population affected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If current trends persist, 512 million people could still face hunger by 2030, nearly 60% in Africa.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Food Insecurity and Diet Affordability: <\/strong>2.3 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2024 &#8211; 336 million more than in 2019.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2.6 billion people could not afford a healthy diet in 2024, with affordability worsening in low-income countries <strong>(excluding India).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Food price inflation<\/strong> remains a major barrier, peaking at 13.6% globally in January 2023 and up to 30% in low-income countries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Child and Maternal Nutrition:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stunting <\/strong>among children fell to 23.2% in 2024, down from 180 million in 2012 to 150.2 million.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wasting <\/strong>(6.6%) and overweight (5.5%) rates among children remain largely unchanged.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exclusive breastfeeding<\/strong> rose from 37% (2012) to 47.8% (2023) \u2014 a significant improvement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Only 34% of children aged 6\u201323 months meet minimum dietary diversity; 65% of women aged 15\u201349 meet the minimum.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anaemia <\/strong>among women increased from 27.6% to 30.7% between 2012 and 2023.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India &amp; Global Food Security Report (2025): <\/strong>India stands out for reducing undernourishment from 14.3% (2020\u201322) to 12% (2022\u201324) \u2014 a <strong>drop of nearly 30 million people<\/strong>, while global hunger remains high.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s progress helped <strong>offset rising hunger in Africa and Western Asia<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concerns &amp; Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Rising Nutrition Challenges:<\/strong> High prices of nutrient-rich foods and poor cold-chain infrastructure hinder access.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Over 60% of Indians still cannot afford a healthy diet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, pulses, and animal products remain too expensive for low-income families<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Child and Maternal Nutrition:<\/strong> India contributed to global gains in exclusive breastfeeding, which rose from 37% (2012) to 47.8% (2023).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, anaemia among women increased from 27.6% to 30.7%, and dietary diversity for children remains low.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weak Post-Harvest Infrastructure: <\/strong>India loses up to 13% of food between farm and market due to poor logistics.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lack of cold storage, inefficient supply chains, and outdated transport systems lead to spoilage and reduced availability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rising Malnutrition and Micronutrient Deficiencies:<\/strong> Even as hunger declines, malnutrition, obesity, and hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiencies) are on the rise.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These issues are especially prevalent among urban poor and rural communities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low Agricultural Productivity:<\/strong> Despite being one of the largest food producers, India struggles with low yields due to:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fragmented land holdings;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Limited access to modern farming techniques;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Climate variability and erratic weather patterns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited Nutrition Education and Awareness: <\/strong>Many families lack knowledge about balanced diets and nutritional needs, especially for children and pregnant women.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Policy and Governance Gaps:<\/strong> While digital reforms have improved food distribution, coordination across states, data accuracy, and last-mile delivery still need strengthening.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Migrant populations and informal workers often fall through the cracks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Policy Reform &amp; Innovation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Revamping the Public Distribution System (PDS):<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Digitalization<\/strong>: Aadhaar-enabled targeting, biometric authentication, and real-time inventory tracking improve efficiency and reduce leakage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>One Nation One Ration Card:<\/strong> Makes food entitlements portable across states, helping migrant workers access subsidized food anywhere in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nutrition-Focused Social Programs:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>PM POSHAN (School Feeding Scheme):<\/strong> Now emphasizes dietary diversity and nutrition sensitivity, aiming to improve child development outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS):<\/strong> Targets early childhood nutrition through fortified meals and health monitoring.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission):<\/strong> Focuses on reducing stunting, anemia, and low birth weight among children and mothers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boosting Agricultural Productivity:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National Food Security Mission:<\/strong> Promotes crop diversification, improved seeds, and sustainable farming practices to increase yields of rice, wheat, and pulses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Agro-climatic planning:<\/strong> Tailors interventions to local conditions for better results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Food Fortification and Biofortified Crops:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Zero Hunger Programme:<\/strong> Develops biofortified plants and promotes genetic gardens to improve micronutrient intake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fortification of staples like rice, wheat, and oil with iron, folic acid, and vitamin A is being scaled up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nutrition Education and Behavior Change:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Campaigns like<strong> Eat Right India<\/strong> encourage healthier food choices and hygiene practices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Community health workers and school programs are being trained to spread awareness about balanced diets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improving Cold Chains and Market Linkages:<\/strong> Investments in post-harvest infrastructure, such as cold storage and digital logistics, aim to reduce food loss and improve access to perishable, nutrient-rich foods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transforming the Agrifood System:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Boosting production of <strong>nutrient-rich foods<\/strong> like pulses, vegetables, fruits, and animal products.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Investing in <strong>post-harvest infrastructure<\/strong> (cold storage, logistics) to cut the 13% food loss between farm and market.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supporting <strong>women-led enterprises and FPOs<\/strong> cultivating climate-resilient crops.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leveraging <strong>digital tools<\/strong> such as AgriStack, e-NAM, and geospatial platforms to improve market access and agricultural planning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>With five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals &#8211; especially <strong>SDG 2: Zero Hunger<\/strong> &#8211; India\u2019s example offers hope.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has demonstrated that hunger reduction is possible when backed by <strong>political will, smart investment, and inclusive policies<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> To what extent can India\u2019s approach to food security and nutrition serve as a model for ending global hunger, and what limitations might hinder its global applicability?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/the-path-to-ending-global-hunger-runs-through-india\/article69948283.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-19-August-2025.PDF.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India has emerged as a pivotal force in driving global progress, as the world begins to turn a corner in its fight against hunger.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":51652,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ending-path-india-global-hunger.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51607"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51607\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51613,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51607\/revisions\/51613"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}