Food Security

Overview

Keyfacts

Digital Interventions

Additional Resources

Quiz

  • Overview

    Food security is defined as when each person, at all times, has physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets the dietary needs and food preferences to have an active and healthy life (World Food Summit,1996).

    The four main dimensions of food security:

    • Physical Availability of Food: It refers to the supply side of food security, determined by the presence of safe and nutritious food, food production levels, storage availability, and the amount of food imported and exported, transported, and how well it is integrated within the country.
    • Accessibility to Food: An adequate food supply does not ensure household food security. Access depends on income, expenditure, market conditions, and food prices.
    • Food Utilisation: This pertains to how the body uses nutrients from the food of an individual. Proper intake relies on good feeding practices, food preparation, dietary diversity, and intra-household food distribution. Food and water must be safe and clean, and therefore, adequate water and sanitation are also involved at this level.
    • Stability of the Three Dimensions: It deals with a population, household, or individual must have access to adequate food. The risk of food loss or accessibility caused by sudden shocks (e.g. an economic, war, or climatic crisis) or cyclical events (e.g. seasonal food insecurity) should be prevented. Thus, the concept of stability refers to the availability and accessibility dimensions of food security.

    All four dimensions must be met simultaneously to achieve food security.

    Food insecurity affects both developing and developed nations but is more prevalent in low-income ones. It affects different populations differently depending on their economic level, geographic location, and social circumstances. In 2021, an estimated 828 million people were undernourished worldwide, with considerable regional inequalities (FAO, 2022).

    The Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, promote sustainable agriculture, and ensure that everyone has access to safe, nutritious food by 2030.

  • Global Statistics

    • In 2021, over 828 million people suffered hunger (FAO, 2022).
    • South Asia has the highest child stunting and child wasting rates in the world. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of undernourishment and child mortality rates are higher than in any other world region, with two-thirds of the 148 million stunted children residing in these two regions. (Global Hunger Index, 2022).
    • According to “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024” (SOFI 2024), the global Prevalence of Undernourishment will be between 713 and 757 million in 2023. Asia, regardless of having a lower percentage, still possesses the largest number of undernourished people (384.5 million).
    • Global hunger has sharply increased from 2019 to 2021, measured by the prevalence of undernourishment (PoU), and has persisted at nearly the same level for three consecutive years, affecting 9.1% of the population in 2023 compared with 7.5 % in 2019. (“The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024,” 2024)

  • National statistics (India)

    • The 2024 Global Hunger Index gives India a rank of 105 out of 127 countries. This indicates a hunger severity level of ‘serious’ for the country. India’s GHI score is 27.3 on a 100-point scale in which, 0 is the best score to indicate (no hunger) and 100 is the worst.
    • According to “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024” (SOFI 2024), India has the highest number of undernourished individuals in the world with approximately 194.6 million people. Additionally, 55.6% of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet.

    Urgent action is needed to address food insecurity, which has significant impacts on health, education, and economic output. Persistent food insecurity can cause malnutrition, increased mortality, and societal instability, making it an important target for intervention (FAO, 2022).

  • Global Level

    • FarmerLink: The FarmerLink program developed by the Grameen Foundation incorporates satellite data and data from farms by mobile-equipped field agents to help farmers in the Philippines increase the productivity of coconut, and inform how to deal with crop pests and diseases, cope with extreme weather and increase the sustainability of the farms. It helps farmers to make informed decisions for entrepreneurial farming and establish meaningful connections with group members, agents, clients, suppliers, and financiers. It was mainly developed with the help of coconut farmers in the Philippines.
    • M-Farm: M-Farm is an agribusiness technology firm that has revolutionized the digital agriculture space in Kenya. Its official operations began in 2011 as a social enterprise and aimed to grow its support for other agribusinesses, providing supply chain solutions for diverse stakeholders—farmers, private and public institutions, and businesses. It is an SMS and web-based application focused on improving weaknesses in the value chain. It is a transparent tool for Kenyan farmers to avail information related to the retail price of their products buy their farm inputs directly from manufacturers at favorable prices and eventually find buyers for their produce. The current platform provides information for farmers to make informed decisions and empowers them with the tools to connect and communicate with buyers. The company envisions a Kenya (and Africa) where technological innovation makes agriculture market-led, girded by business intelligence, market linkages, social networks, and peer-to-peer learning.
    • Bento: Bento is a text-based service that can be easily accessible through mobile that connects US families in need with nutritious, prepaid meals from nearby restaurants. Its mission is to eliminate food insecurity by empowering healthcare, community, and government organizations to enhance the health and well-being of vulnerable populations. It envisions a world in which food insecurity is no longer a barrier to health, wellness, and the pursuit of a purposeful life. It connects members with nutritious, dietitian-curated groceries delivered from nearby grocery stores, all through the simplicity of SMS.
    • The FAO Food Loss App (FLAPP): The tool was designed to help farmers, companies, producer associations, and cooperatives make informed decisions to reduce crop losses. FLAPP provides video advisories and data visualization to analyze losses and their causes—from pests and diseases or due to any poor packaging and more across every stage from harvest to the wholesale market and provide scientific evidence solutions.

    FLAPP also enhances FAO’s ability to analyze food losses directly from the farm level by utilizing crowd-sourced information from farmers.

  • National Level (India)

    • National Agriculture Market (eNAM): eNAM by the government of India is an electronic trading network for agricultural commodities that connects existing Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis in India. eNAM is managed by the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, which aims to speed up agriculture marketing operations, standardize market procedures, decrease information asymmetry between buyers and sellers, and allow for real-time price discovery based on supply and demand. The program brings APMC farmers together on a single online platform to facilitate national trading in agricultural commodities. It improves price disclosure by conducting transparent auctions based on the quality of produce and ensuring online payments (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, 2023).
    • Mera Ration: It is a Mobile app launched by the Government of India to help beneficiaries under the “One Nation One Ration Card” (ONORC) scheme. It is used by 82 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act. It provides live details of a person’s entitlement to subsidized food grains, the location of the nearest ration shop, past transactions, and any issues. In this, Migrant beneficiary can register their migration details through the application.
    • Cropin Cloud: The World Bank supports this platform; it offers satellite image and machine learning to provide crop advisory services to smallholders in India. It helps smallholder farmers to digitize their farm operations and solve farm operation inefficiencies, farmer engagement, pests & disease control, and ensure the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) practices. It also helps farmers improve yield quality, farm sustainably, boost profitability, and enable hassle-free financing for themselves.
    • Agristack: It is a digital infrastructure project of the government of India that aims to improve agricultural practices and food security by using data and technology. It aims to make farming easier for farmers and accessibility to cheaper credit, higher-quality farm inputs, localized and specific advice, and more informed and convenient access to markets. It aims to make it easier for governments to plan and implement various farmer and agriculture-focused benefit schemes.

  • Global Programs and Policies

    • The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP): It was launched to meet the challenges in the implementation of agriculture and food security. It is based on aid effectiveness principles and coordinates donor support for strategic, country-led, agricultural and food security plans. It supports investments needed to increase productivity, connect farmers to the market, reduce risk, improve unorganized farmers’ livelihoods, and support technical assistance and capacity building. https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/cfs/Docs1213/gsf/GSF_Version_2_EN.pdf
    • Feed the Future Initiative: It is a U.S. Government initiative to combat global hunger and food security. Feed the Future works with partner countries to develop their agriculture sectors and break the vicious cycle of poverty and hunger. This initiative helps people to feed themselves and create opportunities for a new generation of young people while building a more stable world. https://www.feedthefuture.gov/

  • National Programs and Policies

    • The National Food Security Act (NFSA): The National Food Security Act legally allows 75% and 50% of the rural and urban population, respectively, to receive subsidized food grains through the Targeted Public Distribution System. It has approximately 81 crore beneficiaries across India, including 16 crore women, reflecting its commitment to empowering women. This broad coverage encompasses Priority Households (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) categories, ensuring subsidized food grains are accessible to a substantial portion of the population. https://nfsa.gov.in/portal/nfsa-act
    • The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): AAY is a social welfare initiative aimed at ensuring food security for the most vulnerable population. The program supports over 8.92 crore individuals, among these beneficiaries, more than 2 crores are women, highlighting a focus on addressing the needs of female participants. It addresses the nutritional needs of the vulnerable population and also emphasizes the importance of including women in social welfare schemes so that they are empowered in the process. https://megfcsca.gov.in/aay.html
    • Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was introduced specifically to alleviate the suffering endured by the poor and needy because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic disruptions in the nation. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was extended for a further five years, beginning on January 1, 2024, by the Central Government. Through this program, almost 81.35 crore people receive free food grains. https://dfpd.gov.in/Home/ContentManagement?Url=pmgka.html&ManuId=3&language=2

Take the Quiz

Name(Required)
Which of the following is NOT a dimension of food security?
Which report provides an annual update on food insecurity globally?
What percentage of the global population faced hunger in 2023, according to SOFI 2024?
What is the main goal of the National Agriculture Market (eNAM) in India?
Which digital tool is designed to help reduce food loss and waste?
What percentage of India’s rural population is eligible for subsidized food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA)?
Which global initiative focuses on reducing hunger and malnutrition by promoting biofortified crops?
Which of the following is a food insecurity challenge that disproportionately affects children in South Asia?
Which program's focus is on preventing low birth weight and preterm births through preconception care?
Which region has the highest prevalence of undernourishment globally?