Class 9 Economics Chapter 4 Notes - Food Security in India

Introduction

• Food security refers to the availability, accessibility, and affordability of food for everyone at all times.
• It has several key aspects:
  (a) availability of food includes domestic production, imports, and stored reserves from the previous year;
  (b) accessibility means that food is reachable for all individuals;
  (c) affordability indicates that a person has enough financial resources to buy safe and nutritious food to satisfy their dietary needs.
  

• Poor households are more likely to face food insecurity during issues with food production or distribution.

• Food security relies on the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the government's proactive measures when threats arise.

• The most disadvantaged groups often experience food insecurity, while those above the poverty line may also face challenges during national disasters or emergencies.

• Food security exists at the individual, household, regional, national, and global levels when everyone always has physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary requirements and preferences for a healthy life.

What is Food Security?

Food is just as vital for life as air is for breathing. However, food security encompasses more than just having enough meals. It refers to the availability, accessibility, and affordability of food for everyone at all times. This concept underscores the need to ensure that all individuals can reliably access sufficient food for a healthy life.

Dimensions of Food Security

• Availability of food: This includes domestic food production, imports, and stored supplies from previous years.
• Accessibility: This signifies that food is reachable for every individual.
• Affordability: This means that individuals possess enough financial resources to purchase safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary requirements.

Food security in a country is guaranteed only if:

• there is enough food available for everyone,
• all individuals can afford quality food, and
• there are no obstacles to accessing food.

Poor households are particularly susceptible to food insecurity during issues with food production or distribution. The 1995 World Food Summit defined food security as: “Food security at the individual, household, regional, national, and global levels exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” It also recognised that poverty eradication is crucial for enhancing access to food.

Why Food Security?

• Overpopulation: India's population has surged from 361 million in 1951 to 1,027 million in 2001, and it's important to consider the latest statistics.
• Reduction in the net sown area under cereals: There is a noticeable trend of moving away from growing food crops towards cultivating fruits, vegetables, oilseeds, and other cash crops, which has decreased the area planted with cereals, millets, and pulses.
• Hoarding and black marketing: Traders in India often hoard food grains, creating an artificial shortage to drive up prices for higher profits.
• Reduction of land under cultivation: Urban growth and industrial development are consuming more land for factories, warehouses, and housing, leaving less land for farming, with no new fertile areas available.
• Corrupt administrative practices: Although the government has implemented measures such as price controls and rationing, the inefficiency of the administrative system is often criticised, preventing benefits from reaching the wider population.
• Natural calamities: Disasters like earthquakes, droughts, floods, tsunamis, and famines can severely impact the country’s food security.
• Vulnerable Groups: The groups most affected by food insecurity include landless or land-poor families in rural areas and poorly paid workers and seasonal labourers in urban settings.
• Role of Cooperatives and NGOs: Besides government efforts, various cooperatives and NGOs are actively working to improve food security.

How is Food Security Affected During a Calamity?

• Food security means that everyone has access to enough safe and nutritious food for a healthy life.
• Natural disasters, like drought, can reduce food production, leading to shortages in the affected areas.
• When food is scarce, prices rise, making it hard for some people to afford food.
• Long-lasting or widespread disasters can lead to starvation and possibly famine.
• Famine involves many deaths from starvation and diseases from bad water or spoiled food.
• Being starved for a long time weakens the body, worsening famine effects.
• Areas like Kalahandi and Kashipur in Orissa have faced famine-like situations with reported starvation deaths.
• Ongoing food security measures are vital to ensure a steady food supply and stop hunger and famine from happening.
• Policies like buffer stocks and minimum support prices are key to maintaining food security during disasters.

Food security is not just about having food; it’s also about access and how it is used. Vulnerable groups, like landless workers and those without steady jobs, often suffer the most during disasters.

Who are Food-insecure?

• In India, the groups most affected include landless individuals who lack land, traditional craftsmen, service providers, small self-employed workers, and the destitute, including beggars.
• In urban settings, food insecure families often consist of working members in poorly paid jobs and casual labour. These individuals typically participate in seasonal work and earn very low wages that barely cover basic survival.
• Social factors and the inability to afford food also contribute to food insecurity.
• Those from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and some sections of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) with either limited land access or low land productivity face heightened food insecurity.
• Individuals affected by natural disasters who migrate for work are also among the most food insecure.
• There is a significant level of malnutrition among women, which is concerning as it endangers even the unborn child with the risk of malnutrition.
• Hunger is another factor that indicates food insecurity. It is not merely a sign of poverty; it also perpetuates poverty.
• Achieving food security requires eliminating current hunger and minimising the risk of future hunger.
• The National Health and Family Survey (NHFS) 1998-99 indicates that around 11 crore women and children are affected by food insecurity.

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Which States are More Food Insecure?

Regions with High Food Insecurity

• Food insecurity is significantly higher in certain areas, particularly in economically disadvantaged states, tribal and remote regions, and areas susceptible to natural disasters.
• The states of Uttar Pradesh (eastern and south-eastern regions), Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have the largest number of food insecure individuals.

Groups Most Affected

• The most affected groups include landless or land-poor households in rural settings.
• People in poorly paid jobs and casual workers involved in seasonal labour in urban areas are also heavily impacted.

Government Initiatives for Food Security

• The Indian government has developed a food security system consisting of two main parts: a buffer stock and a public distribution system (PDS).
• In addition to the PDS, various poverty alleviation initiatives support food security, including:
  -Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
  -Food-for-Work (FFW)
  -Mid-Day Meals
  -Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

Hunger

Hunger is a key sign of food insecurity. It is not only a sign of poverty but also contributes to it. To achieve food security, it is essential to eliminate current hunger and lower the chances of future hunger. Hunger can be both chronic and seasonal.

• Seasonal Hunger: This type of hunger is linked to the growing and harvesting cycles of food. During the off-season, food prices can rise, or there may be a lack of food, causing seasonal hunger. This is common in rural areas due to agricultural cycles and in urban areas for casual workers, like construction labourers, who may find less work during rainy seasons. Seasonal hunger occurs when someone cannot secure work throughout the year.
• Chronic Hunger: Chronic hunger results from consistently inadequate diets in terms of quantity and/or quality. The main cause of chronic hunger is very low income. Those with limited financial resources experience chronic hunger because they cannot afford enough food, even for basic survival.

According to the National Health and Family Survey (NHFS) 1998-99, around 11 crore women and children are affected by food insecurity. The food insecure population is particularly high in certain areas, such as economically disadvantaged states with high poverty levels, tribal and remote regions, and areas vulnerable to natural disasters. States like Uttar Pradesh (especially the eastern and south-eastern parts), Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra have the highest numbers of food insecure individuals in the country.

India has been aiming at Self-sufficiency in Foodgrains since its Independence

Efforts After Independence

• Following independence, Indian leaders implemented various strategies to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains, leading to the ‘Green Revolution’, particularly in wheat and rice production.
• Since the Green Revolution began in the early 1970s, the country has managed to avoid famines, even in challenging weather conditions.
• However, the increase in food grains has not been uniform across the country.
• Indira Gandhi, who was the Prime Minister at the time, celebrated the significant progress of the Green Revolution by issuing a special stamp called 'Wheat Revolution' in July 1968.

Food Security in India

• Over the past 30 years, India has achieved self-sufficiency in food grains due to the diverse crops cultivated nationwide.
• Foodgrain production reached 310 million tonnes in 2020-21, increasing to 315 million tonnes in 2021-22.
• The highest growth rates were seen in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with wheat production of 36 and 18 million tonnes, respectively, in 2020-21.
• Significant rice production was also recorded, with West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh producing 17 and 16 million tonnes, respectively, in 2020-21.
• The government’s food security system comprises two main parts: buffer stock and public distribution system.

Foodgrain Production Growth

Production of Foodgrains in India (Million Tonnes)

Wheat and Rice Production

• Uttar Pradesh produced 36 million tonnes and Madhya Pradesh 18 million tonnes of wheat in 2020–21.
• West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh achieved high rice production with 17 million tonnes and 16 million tonnes respectively in 2020–21.

Total Foodgrain Production

• Total foodgrain production rose from 310 million tonnes in 2020–21 to 315 million tonnes in 2021–22, indicating enhanced farming practices and crop yields.

Wheat Revolution

The Wheat Revolution, starting in the late 1960s, significantly improved wheat production in India. This initiative introduced high-yielding wheat types and better farming methods, greatly aiding food security.

Food Security System

The government’s food security system has two main parts: buffer stock and the public distribution system (PDS). The buffer stock includes foodgrains, mainly wheat and rice, collected by the government through the Food Corporation of India (FCI). This process helps maintain stable food supply and prices.

Overall, the rise in foodgrain production, especially in wheat and rice, has been essential for ensuring food security in India, showcasing the success of government strategies and farming advances.

Impact of Green Revolution

• The Green Revolution has made India self-sufficient in food grains.
• It led to a rise in the production of wheat and rice.
• The highest growth rates were seen in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
• West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh showed notable production of rice.
• Over the past 30 years, India has achieved food self-sufficiency by cultivating various crops across the nation.
• Total foodgrain production rose from 310 million tonnes in 2020-21 to 315 million tonnes in 2021-22.
• The increase in food production supports the Government in building buffer stock for food security.

Food Security in India

Role of Buffer Stock

India has achieved self-sufficiency in food grains due to the Green Revolution and the diverse crops cultivated across the nation. The government's well-structured food security system further guarantees food security. This system has two main parts: buffer stock and the public distribution system, along with several poverty alleviation programmes.

What is Buffer Stock?

Buffer stock means the reserves of food grains, especially wheat and rice, acquired by the government through the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Procurement Process:

• The FCI buys food grains from farmers in regions with excess production.
• Farmers receive a pre-announced price for their crops, known as the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
• The government announces the MSP yearly before the sowing season to promote greater crop yield.

Storage: The acquired food grains are kept in granaries.

Purpose of Buffer Stock:

• Distribution: To provide food grains in areas with shortages and to poorer communities at a price lower than the market rate, called the Issue Price.
• Crisis Management: To tackle food shortages during bad weather or disasters.

Besides the government's efforts to ensure food security, various cooperatives and NGOs also actively contribute to this goal.

What is Public Distribution System (PDS)?

The Public Distribution System (PDS) is a government initiative designed to ensure food security for eligible households, including both low-income and higher-income groups. It distributes food managed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) through ration shops to various parts of society.

Ration Shops

• Ration shops, also called Fair Price Shops, are found in most areas, including villages, towns, and cities.
• There are about 5.5 lakh ration shops across the country.

Items Available

• Ration shops provide essential items like food grains, sugar, and kerosene for cooking.
• These items are sold at prices lower than the market price, with different price categories under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).

Eligibility

• Families with a ration card can purchase a set amount of these items (e.g., 35 kg of grains, 5 litres of kerosene, 5 kg of sugar) each month from their local ration shop.
• There are three types of ration cards: (a) Antyodaya cards for the most disadvantaged families.

National Food Security Act, 2013
The Act aims to provide food and nutritional security at affordable prices, ensuring that people can live a life with dignity. 75% of the rural population is categorized as eligible for food security & 50% of the urban population is categorized as eligible for food security.

Purpose:To guarantee access to food and nutritional security for a significant portion of the population, promoting equitable distribution and reducing hunger.

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Current Status of Public Distribution System

• The PDS is a key step taken by the Government of India (GoI) to ensure food security.
• Initially, PDS coverage was universal, without distinguishing between poor and non-poor.
• Over time, PDS policies have been revised for better efficiency and targeting.
• In 1992, the Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS) was launched in 1,700 blocks to benefit remote and backward areas.
• The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) was introduced in June 1997.
• The PDS has been crucial in stabilising prices and making food accessible at reasonable rates.
• It has helped prevent widespread hunger and famine by distributing food from surplus areas to those in need.
• The system, along with minimum support prices and procurement, has boosted food production and provided income security to farmers in some regions.
• However, FCI warehouses are overflowing with grains, leading to spoilage and pest issues.

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

AAY was launched in December 2000, identifying one crore of the poorest families below the poverty line under the targeted public distribution system.

Why are ration shops necessary?

The rationing system in India began in the 1940s due to the Bengal famine and was reinstated during the 1960s food shortage, before the Green Revolution. Over time, various new programmes have emerged, and existing ones have been restructured based on administrative experiences. Currently, there are multiple Poverty Alleviation Programmes (PAPs) in rural areas that include a food component.

In the past, every family, regardless of income, had a ration card with a fixed quota of items like rice, wheat, and sugar, all sold at the same low price. The current system of three types of ration cards and varying prices is a change from that model. Now, families above the poverty line receive minimal discounts in ration shops, as the price for Above Poverty Line (APL) families is nearly the same as market prices, reducing their incentive to shop at ration shops.

Role of Cooperatives in Food Security

Cooperatives play a vital role in food security by aiding in the distribution of food and essential goods, ensuring that PDS benefits reach the intended recipients effectively.

History of Rationing in India

Introduction to Rationing

The concept of rationing in India began in the 1940s, mainly due to the Bengal Famine. It was brought back in the 1960s because of severe food shortages before the Green Revolution. In the mid-1970s, high poverty levels led to the launch of three key food programs, as indicated by the NSSO:

• Public Distribution System (PDS) for food grains, which was earlier in place but strengthened later.
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), started in 1975 on a trial basis.
• Food-for-Work (FFW) programme, introduced in 1977-78.

Current Poverty Alleviation Programmes

Today, various Poverty Alleviation Programmes (PAPs) exist, mainly in rural areas, which include food elements. While some programs like PDS and mid-day meals focus solely on food security, most PAPs also enhance food availability.

Components of Food Security

Buffer Stock: India's food security system comprises two parts: (a) buffer stock and (b) public distribution system. The buffer stock is vital for maintaining food security, helping the government manage supply during crises.

• Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS): Launched in 1992 to benefit remote areas, ensuring food measures reach those in need.
• Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): A key program aimed at supporting the most vulnerable groups in society.
• National Food Security Act, 2013: This Act seeks to provide affordable food and nutrition, allowing people to live with dignity. It categorises 75% of rural and 50% of urban households as eligible for food security.

Purpose of Food Security Initiatives

The main aim is to ensure access to food and nutrition for a large part of the population. This promotes fair distribution and helps in reducing hunger.

Initially, the PDS was universal, without any differentiation between the poor and non-poor. Over time, the policy has been revised to improve efficiency and targeting.

Current States of Public Distribution System

• In 1992, the Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS) was rolled out in 1,700 blocks across the country. The aim was to extend PDS benefits to remote and underdeveloped areas.
• The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) started in 1997, focusing on the ‘poor in all areas.’ This was the first time a different pricing strategy was used for the poor and non-poor.
• Two special initiatives were launched in 2000: (a) the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), introduced in December 2000, aimed at the poorest of the poor, and (b) the Annapurna Scheme (APS), which targets indigent senior citizens.

The Public Distribution System (PDS) is a key step by the Government of India (GoI) to ensure food security. Initially, PDS was universal, with no distinction between the poor and the non-poor. Over time, policies have been updated to enhance efficiency and focus. The PDS has been very effective in stabilising prices and ensuring food is accessible to consumers at reasonable costs. It has played a crucial role in preventing widespread hunger and famine by distributing food from surplus areas to those in need. Furthermore, prices have been adjusted to favour poor households. This system, along with minimum support prices and procurement, has boosted food grain production and provided income security to farmers in certain regions.

Despite this, FCI warehouses are overflowing with grains, leading to some being spoiled and others being eaten by rats. The PDS has been essential in preventing hunger and famine by moving food from surplus to deficit regions.

Key Features of the PDS

Some important features of PDS are summarised as follows:

• Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): Launched in December 2000, aimed at the poorest of the poor.
• Annapurna Scheme (APS): Launched in 2000, focusing on indigent senior citizens.

The National Food Security Act, 2013 ensures food and nutritional security at affordable prices, allowing people to live with dignity. Under this act, 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population are classified as eligible households for food security.

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National Food for Work Programme

• The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) started in December 2000.
• It targets the poorest of the poor among the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, identifying one crore families through a public distribution system.
• State rural development departments carried out surveys to find eligible families.
• Initially, beneficiaries received 25 kilograms of food grains at subsidised prices: Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 3 per kg for rice. This amount increased to 35 kg from April 2002.
• The programme was expanded twice, adding 50 lakh BPL families in June 2003 and August 2004, totalling 2 crore families under the AAY.
• This is a fully centrally sponsored scheme.
• States are provided with free food grains to assist the programme.
• The Collector at the district level acts as the nodal officer, with various responsibilities.
• In 2004-05, the allocation was Rs 2,020 crore and 20 lakh tonnes of food grains.

Role of Cooperatives in Food Security

• Cooperatives play a significant role in ensuring food security in India, particularly in the southern and western regions.
• These cooperative societies establish shops that offer affordable goods to those in need.
• In Delhi, Mother Dairy is successfully providing milk and vegetables to consumers at prices set by the Government of Delhi. Amul, based in Gujarat, has also been instrumental in the dairy sector, contributing to the White Revolution in India.
• In Maharashtra, the Academy of Development Science (ADS) has created a network of NGOs to establish grain banks across various regions.
• ADS conducts training and capacity-building programmes focused on food security for these NGOs.
• The establishment of grain banks is gradually progressing in Maharashtra, with ADS's initiatives to replicate this model through other NGOs and influence government food security policies yielding positive results.

Challenges and Government Initiatives

Food security in India faces obstacles, especially in economically disadvantaged states, tribal areas, and regions affected by natural disasters. To ensure that food is available to everyone, the Indian government has created a food security system with two main parts: (a) buffer stock and (b) public distribution system. Alongside the PDS, various poverty alleviation schemes support food security, including Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).

In addition to government efforts, numerous cooperatives and NGOs are actively working towards enhancing food security.

Key Terms

Difficult Words

1. Food Security: Food security means that everyone can get enough food that is safe and healthy, all the time. It ensures that people have access to food that meets their needs for a healthy life.
2. Public Distribution System (PDS): This is a government scheme in India designed to provide food and other necessary items to poor people at lower prices. It is vital for helping those who struggle economically.
3. Buffer Stock: This is the stock of essential food items, mainly wheat and rice, that the government keeps to help manage food prices and ensure that there is food available during tough times.
4. Hoarding and Black Marketing: These are actions where people stock up on goods to create artificial shortages, which can lead to higher prices. Such practices can make food harder to get and more expensive for everyone.
5. Calamity and Its Impact on Food Security: Natural disasters, like droughts and floods, can severely reduce food production and distribution, which leads to food shortages and increased risk of hunger among the population.
6. Vulnerable Groups: These are people at higher risk of food insecurity, including landless workers, small farmers, women (especially those who are pregnant or nursing), and the elderly, mainly due to economic hardships.
7. Nutritional Security: This goes beyond just having enough food; it ensures regular access to nutritious food that includes necessary vitamins and minerals for good health.
8. Seasonal Hunger: This type of food insecurity relates to the times of the year when food is scarce, especially affecting agricultural workers who may not have jobs during the off-season.
9. Chronic Hunger: This is a long-term lack of adequate nutrition, both in quality and quantity, often tied to ongoing poverty and malnutrition.
10. Food-for-Work Programme: This is a government programme where people receive food in exchange for their labour on public projects, especially during times of food shortages.
11. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): This government initiative provides highly subsidised food to the poorest families, as part of the Public Distribution System to help reduce hunger and poverty.
12. Green Revolution: This term describes a series of developments in agriculture from the 1940s to the late 1960s that boosted food production worldwide, particularly in India, through better seeds and farming techniques.
13. National Food Security Act (NFSA): This law in India aims to provide subsidised food to around two-thirds of the population through the Targeted Public Distribution System, improving food and nutrition security.
14. Minimum Support Price (MSP): This is a government policy to protect farmers from falling prices by guaranteeing a minimum price for their crops, announced at the start of the planting season based on expert recommendations.