Food Security in India Summary Easily Explained

Chapter 4 – Food Security in India Summary

1. What is Food Security?

Food security means that all people, at all times, should have:

• Availability of food: Sufficient food through domestic production, imports, or buffer stock.
• Accessibility to food: Food must physically reach every individual.
• Affordability: People must have enough income to buy safe, nutritious, and adequate food.

Food security ensures no person goes hungry because of shortages or economic constraints.

2. The Need for Food Security

Food security is crucial because:

• Poor people are most vulnerable during food shortages.
• Calamities like floods, droughts, or pandemics disrupt supply and increase food prices.
• If widespread or prolonged, it can lead to famine—mass starvation and death due to scarcity.

Example: The Bengal Famine of 1943 caused the death of around 30 lakh people, mostly due to rising prices and inaccessibility of rice, despite availability.

3. Who Are the Food-Insecure?

• Rural poor: Landless laborers, marginal farmers, casual workers.
• Urban poor: Migrant workers, daily wage earners, self-employed petty traders.
• Women and Children: High levels of malnutrition among pregnant/nursing mothers and children under 5.
• Socially vulnerable groups: SCs, STs, OBCs in economically backward areas.

Story examples from the chapter:

• Ramu (Raipur, rural worker) – faces seasonal unemployment and food insecurity for 4 months each year.
• Ahmad (Bangalore, rickshaw puller) – survives because of subsidized rations under PDS yellow card.

4. Hunger – A Dimension of Food Insecurity

There are two types of hunger:

• Chronic Hunger: Long-term due to low income and consistent food inadequacy.
• Seasonal Hunger: Linked to employment fluctuations (agricultural lean seasons, off-season work).

Observation: Hunger has declined over the years but persists in many areas.

5. Food Security in India – Key Measures

A. Achieving Self-Sufficiency

• India adopted Green Revolution strategies (1960s onward) to boost production.
• Now produces over 315 million tonnes of foodgrains (2021–22).
• Major contributors: UP, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh.

6. Government’s Food Security System

a) Buffer Stock

• Foodgrains are bought from farmers by FCI (Food Corporation of India) at a Minimum Support Price (MSP).
• Stored and used during crises or to stabilize prices.
• Helps provide food to poorer sections at Issue Prices below the market rate.

b) Public Distribution System (PDS)

• Food is distributed through Fair Price Shops (ration shops).
• Types of ration cards:
  • Antyodaya (AAY) – Poorest families
  • BPL – Below Poverty Line
  • APL – Above Poverty Line

7. Key Food Security Programmes

Programme	Year	Target Group	Benefit
PDS	1940s–50s	General public	Subsidized food
Revamped PDS (RPDS)	1992	Backward areas	Strengthened delivery
Targeted PDS (TPDS)	1997	Poor & non-poor separated	Differential pricing
Antyodaya Anna Yojana	2000	Poorest of BPL	35 kg foodgrains at ₹2–₹3/kg
Annapurna Scheme	2000	Indigent senior citizens	10 kg foodgrains free
National Food Security Act	2013	75% rural & 50% urban pop.	5 kg food/person/month at subsidized rate

8. Challenges in PDS Functioning

• Corruption and leakages: Food diverted to open market.
• Irregularity: Ration shops don’t open regularly.
• Poor quality: Substandard grains provided.
• Decline in interest: APL families find little price difference with open market.

9. Surplus and Sustainability Concerns

• FCI godowns overflow with excess grains, some get wasted.
• Environmental impact of rice–wheat cycle (especially Punjab, Haryana) due to water overuse.
• Shift from coarse grains to high-MSP crops has hurt food diversity and sustainability.

10. Role of Cooperatives and NGOs

• Tamil Nadu: 94% Fair Price Shops run by cooperatives.
• Delhi: Mother Dairy ensures controlled pricing.
• Gujarat: Amul led to the White Revolution.
• Maharashtra: Academy of Development Science (ADS) – grain banks via NGOs.

Final Summary

Food security in India involves:

• Production: Self-sufficiency through Green Revolution.
• Distribution: PDS and buffer stock systems.
• Affordability: Schemes like AAY, TPDS, NFSA.
• Support Systems: Cooperatives, ICDS, mid-day meals, and wage-employment programmes.

Despite improvements, regional disparities and system inefficiencies remain. Ensuring nutrition, access, affordability, and sustainability are key to future food security.