Challenges to Food Security in Rajasthan | RPSC Preparation: All subjects - RPSC RAS (Rajasthan) PDF Download

Climatic Factors

Rajasthan’s arid and semi-arid climate poses significant challenges to food security by affecting agricultural production and food availability.

• Erratic Rainfall:

  • Rajasthan relies heavily on monsoon rains for agriculture, but rainfall is often unpredictable and unevenly distributed.

  • Example: In 2023, some districts like Jaisalmer received less than 100 mm of annual rainfall, leading to crop failures.

  • Impact: Erratic rainfall reduces yields of crops like bajra and pulses, affecting food availability.

• Droughts:

  • Frequent droughts in Rajasthan disrupt farming, as 70% of agricultural land depends on rainfed farming (Barani Kheti).

  • Example: Droughts in western Rajasthan, such as in Barmer, cause significant losses in millet production.

  • Impact: Droughts lead to food shortages and price spikes, threatening food stability.

• Temperature Variability:

  • Extreme temperatures, including heatwaves, damage crops and reduce productivity.

  • Example: High temperatures in May and June affect wheat and mustard crops in northern Rajasthan.

  • Impact: Temperature variability lowers crop yields, reducing food availability and farmer incomes.

Poverty and Inequality

High poverty rates and economic inequality in Rajasthan limit access to nutritious food, particularly in rural and tribal areas.

• High Poverty Rates:

  • Rajasthan has a poverty rate of 14.7% (as per NFHS-5, 2019–21), with rural and tribal areas being the most affected.

  • Example: In districts like Dungarpur, many families cannot afford diverse foods like fruits and vegetables.

  • Impact: Poverty restricts economic access to food, forcing households to rely on cheaper, less nutritious staples like bajra.

• Economic Inequality:

  • Disparities between urban and rural areas, as well as between irrigated and arid regions, create unequal access to food resources.

  • Example: Farmers in irrigated Ganganagar can afford better diets compared to those in arid Jalore.

  • Impact: Inequality leads to uneven food security, with poorer communities facing greater hunger risks.

• Relevance to Food Security: Poverty and inequality weaken the accessibility pillar, as many households lack the income to buy sufficient and nutritious food.

Cultural Practices

Cultural practices, particularly gender-based disparities, contribute to nutritional challenges in Rajasthan, especially in rural households.

• Gender-Based Disparities:

  • In many rural households, women eat last and least, consuming fewer nutrient-rich foods like milk, eggs, or vegetables.

  • Example: In tribal areas like Banswara, women prioritize feeding men and children, leading to their own nutritional deficiencies.

  • Impact: Gender disparities contribute to high anemia rates (59.7% in women aged 15–49, as per NFHS-5) and poor maternal health.

• Other Cultural Practices:

  • Traditional diets in Rajasthan often rely heavily on staples like bajra, with limited inclusion of diverse foods.

  • Example: Some communities avoid certain foods due to cultural beliefs, reducing dietary diversity.

  • Impact: These practices hinder the utilization pillar of food security, as they limit access to balanced nutrition.

Food Wastage

Food wastage is a major challenge in Rajasthan, reducing the availability of food for consumption.

• Extent of Wastage:

  • Approximately 40% of food produced in Rajasthan is wasted due to poor storage, transportation, and post-harvest handling.

  • Example: In districts like Jalore, limited storage facilities lead to spoilage of perishable crops like vegetables.

• Causes:

  • Inadequate storage infrastructure, such as insufficient warehouses and cold storage units.

  • Poor transportation networks in rural areas, causing delays and spoilage.

  • Example: Only 5,400 metric tons of storage capacity is available in Jalore, compared to 151,520 in Jaipur.

• Impact: Food wastage reduces the effective food supply, undermining the availability pillar and increasing prices for consumers.

• Relevance to Food Security: Reducing wastage could significantly improve food availability, especially in food-scarce regions.

Malnutrition

Malnutrition, including stunting, anemia, and undernutrition, is a critical challenge in Rajasthan, affecting the health and well-being of its population.

• High Rates of Malnutrition:

  • Stunting: 31.8% of children under 5 in Rajasthan are stunted (too short for their age) due to chronic malnutrition (NFHS-5, 2019–21).

  • Anemia: 59.7% of women aged 15–49 and 67.2% of children aged 6–59 months suffer from anemia, indicating iron deficiency.

  • Undernutrition: Many children and adults lack sufficient calories and nutrients, leading to poor health outcomes.

• Relevance to Rajasthan:

  • Malnutrition is widespread in rural and tribal areas, where access to diverse foods is limited.

  • Example: In Dungarpur, high stunting rates reflect poor dietary diversity and poverty.

• Impact: Malnutrition undermines the utilization pillar, as even available food may not meet nutritional needs, leading to long-term health issues.

• Example: Programs like POSHAN Abhiyaan aim to reduce malnutrition by providing supplements and nutrition education.

Urban Food Security

Urban food security is an emerging challenge in Rajasthan, particularly for the urban poor, who face unique barriers to accessing food.

• Challenges for Urban Poor:

  • Lack of Targeted Programs: Unlike rural areas, urban areas have fewer food security schemes tailored to the poor.

    • Example: In cities like Jaipur, slum dwellers struggle to access subsidized food through PDS due to limited fair price shops.

  • Inadequate Mapping of Vulnerable Populations: Urban poor, such as migrant workers and slum residents, are often not identified for food assistance programs.

    • Example: In Jodhpur, many urban poor families are excluded from NFSA benefits due to lack of documentation.

• Impact:

  • Urban poor face economic and physical barriers to accessing nutritious food, leading to food insecurity.

  • Example: High food prices in urban markets make it difficult for low-income families to afford balanced diets.

• Relevance to Food Security: Urban food insecurity weakens the accessibility and utilization pillars, as the urban poor struggle to afford and access nutritious food.