Food security, as defined by FAO, is when all people at all times have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. Despite being a foodgrain surplus country, India faces persistent challenges in ensuring food security for its 1.4 billion population due to structural, economic, and global factors.
Challenges of Food Security in India:
Import Dependence:
- 90% of India’s urea production depends on imported natural gas.
- Annual fertiliser subsidy crosses ₹1 lakh crore, making India highly vulnerable to global price shocks such as Russia-Ukraine war.
Population & Poverty:
- Rising population at 1.4 billion with growing urban demand.
- As per NFHS-5 (2019-21), 35.5% of children under 5 are stunted while poverty is at 21.9% aggravating affordability.
Climate Change:
- IPCC warns India may lose 10–40% crop yields by 2050 due to erratic rainfall and rising temperatures. Expansion of biofuels further reduces land available for food crops.
Distribution & Storage Gaps:
- Food wastage due to 40% inadequate storage,leakages in PDS and corruption reduces the availability of food grains to open markets.
Global Drivers (GRFC 2025 Report):
- Conflict such as Russia-Ukraine war, fuelling food insecurity in 20 countries, impacting global supply chains as per GRFC 2025 Report.
- Extreme Weather events affect 96.1 million globally aggravating food grain losses.
- Economic Shocks: Higher food import bills and fertiliser costs strain India’s fiscal health.
Socio-Economic Implications:
- Nutrition deficit: 45% of under-5 child deaths linked to malnutrition.
- Poverty intensification: Food inflation erodes rural purchasing power.
- Gender inequality: 60% of chronically hungry are women & girls as per UN Women.
- Educational impact: Hunger drives dropouts, reversing SDG progress.
Way Forward:
- Energy Security: Diversify LNG imports and invest in nano-fertilisers and bio-fertilisers to reduce dependency.
- Agricultural Productivity: Climate-smart agriculture, crop diversification into pulses, oilseeds, millets and leverage PM-AASHA for price stabilisation.
- Strengthening PDS: Adopt blockchain-based PDS transparency and invest in modern silos & cold chains (PMKSY support).
- Nutrition Interventions: Universalisation of PM POSHAN (midday meals) and ICDS focussing on dietary diversity, fortified staples.
- Integrated Food Security Strategy: Adopt a One-Health approach linking food, water, energy, and climate and enhance South-South cooperation for resilient supply chains.
Conclusion:
India’s food security challenge is not just about grain production but about access, affordability, nutrition, and sustainability. India must ensure transition from food sufficiency to nutrition security.
‘+1’ Value Addition:
- Global Hunger Index (2023): India ranked 111/125 countries.
- NFHS-5 (2019–21): 35.5% children under 5 are stunted, 19.3% wasted and 32.1% underweight.
- FAO SOFI Report (2022): 74% of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet.
- Wastage: 40% of fruits & vegetables lost post-harvest due to poor cold chain/storage (FAO).
- M.S. Swaminathan Committee (2006): Recommended universal PDS and nutritional security, not just calorie security.
- Shanta Kumar Committee (2015): Suggested cash transfers instead of physical grain distribution under PDS.
- Morocco–India Fertiliser Partnership (2023): India signed long-term contracts with OCP Group, world’s largest phosphate exporter.
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