Date : 21/08/2023

Relevance: GS Paper 2- Social Justice- Hunger - Malnutrition

Keywords: Malnutrition, hunger, children, gender-sensitive approach, climate change, agricultural modernization, poverty alleviation.

Context-

• On the occasion of India's 77th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proudly announced the significant achievement of lifting 135 million people out of poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21, as measured by the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MDPI).
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) previously estimated that a remarkable 415 million individuals were lifted out of poverty from 2005-06 to 2019-21, marking a historic accomplishment for post-independence India. This reduction in poverty levels highlights the continuous efforts of successive governments to alleviate poverty, hunger, and malnutrition.

Historical Context and Economic Shift

• After gaining political freedom, the primary responsibility of an elected government is to address issues of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. In the early days of independence, over 80% of the population lived in extreme poverty, a figure that has significantly dwindled to around 15% according to the MDPI and about 11% based on the income criterion ($2.15 PPP).
• This remarkable progress can be attributed to policy shifts, with the pivotal year of 1991 ushering in a transformation from a state-controlled to a market-oriented economy.
• This transition yielded substantial dividends in the form of foreign exchange reserves, which now stand at around $600 billion, bolstering the Indian economy's resilience against external shocks.

Continued Challenges: Malnutrition and Hunger

• Despite these achievements, the challenge of malnutrition and hunger remains. Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted between 2019 and 2021 reveals alarming statistics: 32% of children under the age of five were underweight, 35% were stunted, and 19% were wasted.
• While India has made commendable progress in reducing infant mortality from 57% in 2005-06 to 35% in 2019-21, advancements in other malnutrition indicators have been slower. This presents a significant hurdle for the government.

Agricultural Productivity and Food Security

• On the front of food security, India has made substantial strides. The Green Revolution played a pivotal role in transforming the nation from a "ship to mouth" economy to the world's largest exporter of rice. Additionally, India's efforts led to the White Revolution, making it the largest producer of milk globally.
• The introduction of Bt cotton triggered the gene revolution in cotton production, propelling India to the top position in cotton production. However, despite these successes, malnutrition remains a pressing concern, particularly among children under the age of five.

Climate Change and Vulnerabilities

• The increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change poses a dual challenge to India—threatening both the food system and poverty alleviation efforts. The gains made in poverty reduction and malnutrition mitigation could be undone by the impacts of climate-induced shocks.

Gender-Sensitive Growth: A Key to Addressing Challenges

• Prime Minister's emphasis on gender-sensitive development offers a novel approach to these complex challenges. By highlighting India's achievement of having more women pilots than any other country and promoting the training of women in self-help groups to operate agricultural drones, he recognizes the untapped potential of women in driving change.

Empowering Women: Education and Participation

• However, the participation rate of women in the labor force (age group 15-59 years) stands at a mere 30% as of 2021-22. To create a lasting impact, a focus on improving literacy rates, providing quality education, and skill development for young women is essential. Research suggests that women's education beyond the 12th grade significantly influences children's nutrition. Improved sanitation and access to nutritious food also play pivotal roles.

Policy Recommendations for a Comprehensive Solution

To address these multifaceted challenges, policymakers must take a holistic approach:

• Enhance Women's Education: Incentivize and improve access to quality education for women, offering liberal scholarships from the 10th grade to the Master's level. This investment yields high returns in terms of family size limitation and contributes significantly to the nation's growth.
• Agricultural Productivity: Focus on improving agricultural productivity while ensuring food's nutritional value and climate resilience. This entails increasing research and development expenditures in agriculture to maintain an abundant and competitively priced food supply.
• Modernizing Agricultural Practices: Collaborate with institutions like the Punjab Agriculture University to initiate a new revolution in sustainable growth and nutritious food production, building on the successes of the Green and White Revolutions.

Conclusion

• As India celebrates its journey towards independence, it is crucial to reflect on the achievements and remaining challenges. While impressive strides have been made in poverty reduction and food security, malnutrition and hunger persist, particularly among children. Climate change compounds these issues, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions.
• Empowering women through education and participation presents a unique avenue for addressing these challenges. By providing women with opportunities for higher education and skill development, India can make significant strides in poverty alleviation, hunger eradication, and malnutrition mitigation. Simultaneously, a renewed focus on agricultural productivity and modernization can enhance the nation's food security and resilience to climate-related shocks.
• The path forward requires a comprehensive strategy that integrates these approaches, thereby creating a brighter and more nourished future for India's citizens. By leveraging the lessons of the past and adopting innovative solutions, India can continue its transformative journey toward prosperity and well-being for all.