New Delhi: The ‘State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’ (SOFI) report, released on July 24, reveals that India has the highest number of undernourished people globally, totaling 194.6 million (19.5 crore).
This report was prepared by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in collaboration with four other UN agencies, including UNICEF, as reported by The Wire.
Undernourishment, as defined by the FAO, occurs when an individual’s habitual food intake is insufficient to meet the dietary energy requirements necessary for a normal, active life. The prevalence of undernourishment serves as a key indicator of hunger.
Despite the grim numbers, there has been some improvement. During the 2004-06 period, India had 240 million (24 crore) undernourished people.
The SOFI report also indicates that over half of the Indian population (55.6%) cannot afford a healthy diet, the highest percentage in South Asia, affecting 790 million (79 crore) people. While many Indians consume enough food to meet daily energy needs, affording a nutritious diet is still a major challenge.
The FAO defines a healthy diet as one that includes diversity (within and across food groups), adequacy (sufficient essential nutrients), moderation (limited foods related to poor health outcomes), and balance (appropriate energy and macronutrient intake).
The percentage of Indians unable to afford a healthy diet has improved slightly, by about three percentage points from 2022 to 2023, continuing a gradual decline over the past five years, The Wire mentioned quoting the SOFI report.
The NITI Aayog’s ‘Sustainable Development Goals India Index 2023-24’, released earlier this month, reported that 99% of eligible beneficiaries were covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2023-2024.
The Public Distribution System (PDS) under this Act provides 35kg of food grains per month to each ‘antyodaya anna yojana household’ and 5kg per month to ‘priority households’ at subsidized rates.
Additionally, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, launched in April 2020 and extended for five years from January 1, 2023, provides 5 kg of rice or wheat per person and 1 kg of dal per family each month free of cost, benefiting approximately 804.8 million (80.48 crore) people.
