Conceptual Understanding of Food Security | RPSC Preparation: All subjects - RPSC RAS (Rajasthan) PDF Download

Definition and Dimensions of Food Security

Food security means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and preferences for a healthy life. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines food security through four key pillars, which are crucial for understanding Rajasthan’s food security scenario.

A. Availability

• Definition: Availability refers to having enough food produced or supplied in a region to meet the population’s needs.
• Relevance to Rajasthan: Rajasthan needs to produce enough crops like bajra, wheat, pulses, and millets or import food to ensure sufficient supply for its people.
• Examples:
  • Farmers in Rajasthan grow food grains, but low rainfall in some areas reduces crop production.
  • Districts like Ganganagar have better food availability due to canal irrigation.
• Challenges: Droughts, poor soil fertility, and limited irrigation facilities reduce food production in Rajasthan, affecting availability.

B. Accessibility

• Definition: Accessibility means that all people, including the poorest, can physically reach food (e.g., through markets or shops) and afford to buy it.
• Relevance to Rajasthan: People in rural and remote areas of Rajasthan need nearby markets or fair price shops to access food at affordable prices.
• Examples:
  • The Public Distribution System (PDS) in Rajasthan provides subsidized food grains to poor families, improving economic access.
  • Fair price shops distribute wheat and rice under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
• Challenges: High poverty levels and long distances to markets in desert areas make it difficult for some people to access food.

C. Utilization

• Definition: Utilization refers to consuming food that is safe, nutritious, and properly prepared to meet health and nutritional needs.
• Relevance to Rajasthan: Families in Rajasthan need clean water, proper cooking facilities, and knowledge about balanced diets to use food effectively.
• Examples:
  • High malnutrition rates in Rajasthan, especially among children and women, show that available food may not be nutritious enough.
  • Programs like POSHAN Abhiyaan promote better nutrition practices.
• Challenges: Lack of awareness about balanced diets, poor sanitation, and limited access to diverse foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables) affect utilization.

D. Stability

• Definition: Stability ensures a consistent food supply over time, even during crises like droughts, floods, or price increases.
• Relevance to Rajasthan: Rajasthan’s food supply must remain steady despite frequent droughts or rising food prices.
• Examples:
  • Government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance) help farmers maintain production during bad weather.
  • Food reserves and PDS ensure supply during crises.
• Challenges: Climate variability, such as irregular monsoons, disrupts farming and food supply in Rajasthan, affecting stability.

Global and National Context of Food Security

Understanding food security in Rajasthan requires knowledge of how it fits into global and national frameworks.

A. Global Context

• Overview: Food security is a global issue, as many countries face hunger and malnutrition due to poverty, conflicts, or climate change.
• Key Organizations: The FAO and World Food Programme (WFP) set global standards for food security, including the four pillars.
• Relevance to Rajasthan:
  • Global goals, like the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2: Zero Hunger), guide Rajasthan’s efforts to reduce hunger by 2030.
  • The WFP’s Rajasthan Food and Nutrition Security Analysis Report (2023) uses global methods to assess food security in Rajasthan’s districts.
• Example: Global initiatives inspire Rajasthan to adopt climate-resilient crops and improve nutrition programs.

B. National Context

• Overview: India aims to ensure food security for its 1.4 billion people through laws, policies, and programs.
• Key Law: The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 guarantees affordable food to millions, including Rajasthan’s residents.
• Provisions of NFSA:
  • Provides subsidized food grains (e.g., wheat at ₹2/kg, rice at ₹3/kg) through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
  • Covers 75% of rural and 50% of urban populations in India, including a large portion of Rajasthan.
  • Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): Gives 35 kg of food grains per month to the poorest families.
  • Priority Households (PHH): Provides 5 kg of food grains per person per month.
  • Ensures free meals for children (6 months–14 years), pregnant women, and lactating mothers through programs like Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
• Relevance to Rajasthan:
  • Rajasthan implements NFSA through its PDS network, with fair price shops distributing food to eligible families.
  • The eldest woman in a household is often named as the head for ration cards, empowering women.
• Example: Rajasthan’s PDS ensures that poor families in rural areas access subsidized food grains.

C. Other National Efforts

• POSHAN Abhiyaan (2018): A national campaign to reduce malnutrition, stunting, and anemia, especially for children and women in Rajasthan.
• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: A crop insurance scheme that protects Rajasthan’s farmers from losses due to droughts or floods, supporting food production.
• Example: Rajasthan promotes millets (nutrient-rich crops) to align with national goals for dietary diversity and nutrition.

Indicators of Food Security

Indicators are measurements used to assess the level of food security in a region. For Rajasthan, key indicators highlight progress and challenges.

A. Global Hunger Index (GHI)

• Definition: The GHI measures hunger based on four factors: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality.
• How It Works: Each country, including India, gets a GHI score to show the severity of hunger (e.g., low, moderate, serious, or alarming).
• Relevance to Rajasthan:
  • Rajasthan’s GHI data reflects issues like child malnutrition and helps compare its progress with other states.
  • India’s GHI score in 2023 was 28.7 (serious category), and Rajasthan faces similar challenges.
• Example: High stunting and anemia rates in Rajasthan align with India’s GHI trends, showing the need for nutrition programs.
• Source: Drishti IAS and GHI reports.

B. Malnutrition Rates

• Definition: Malnutrition includes undernutrition (not enough food), overnutrition (obesity), and micronutrient deficiencies (e.g., lack of iron or vitamins).
• Key Metrics:
  • Stunting: Children too short for their age due to long-term malnutrition.
  • Wasting: Children too thin for their height due to recent weight loss.
  • Anemia: Lack of iron, common among women and children.
• Relevance to Rajasthan:
  • The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–21)shows Rajasthan has:
    • 31.8% of children under 5 stunted.
    • 59.7% of women aged 15–49 with anemia.
  • These rates highlight the need for better nutrition and health programs.
• Example: POSHAN Abhiyaan in Rajasthan provides supplements and education to reduce stunting and anemia.

C. District-Level Food Security Indices

• Definition: These indices rank districts based on food security pillars (availability, accessibility, stability).
• Relevance to Rajasthan:
  • The WFP’s Rajasthan Food and Nutrition Security Analysis Report (2023) ranks districts like Ganganagar as highly food-secure due to stable food supply.
  • Other districts, especially in desert areas, face challenges with accessibility and stability.
• How It Works: The index uses data on crop production, poverty levels, market access, and climate risks to assess food security.
• Example: Ganganagar’s canal irrigation ensures better food availability, while arid districts struggle with market access.
• Source: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems and WFP reports.

D. Other Indicators

• Household Consumption Expenditure Survey: Shows how much Rajasthan’s families spend on food and whether they can afford nutritious diets.
• Poverty Rates: Rajasthan’s poverty rate (14.7% as per NFHS-5) limits economic access to food.
• Example: These indicators help Rajasthan’s government plan schemes like PDS expansion or nutrition campaigns.