India has also diversified into high value commodities, and become the world’s largest producer of milk, pulses, horticulture, and livestock as well as the top exporter of shrimp and spices globally. Over the last 75 years, India has gone from food aid dependency to becoming a consistent net exporter of food, while simultaneously having the world’s largest Public Distribution System, providing subsidized food to millions.įoodgrains production in the country at 314.5 million tonnes in 2021-22, touched record levels for the sixth consecutive year. While India’s globally appreciated mid-day meal programme tackles the undernourishment in school children, its flagship Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana ensures food security to around 800 million people during the pandemic. On the domestic front, India has made tremendous progress over the years towards achieving the SDGs as measured by important indicators of economic growth, poverty reduction, significant food production, adoption of technologies, including climate smart approach and self-sufficiency in food grains. India’s role in declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets by the United Nations General Assembly is expected to create international recognition for these nutrient-rich crops and their suitability for cultivation under tough climatic conditions. India has been trying for a permanent solution on public stockholdings of food grains in the WTO 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) by seeking to allow exports of food grains from public stocks on a government-to-government basis for humanitarian purposes. India’s commitment to global food security is evident from India’s humanitarian support in terms of food aid to several countries in recent times and working together with like minded countries in international organisations. India, ever conscious of its role in advancing global food security, following its guiding principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, is supporting several developing economies in their times of need. In this critical juncture, where global economies are passing through a polycrisis situation, with rising food security concerns amidst spiralling energy and commodity prices, which could plunge millions more into poverty and hunger, leading global economies including India have a substantial role to play. India’s Role in Ensuring Global Food Security Therefore, achieving SDGs and food security remain paramount for the global economies, especially the low income and lower-middle income economies. The pandemic and the ongoing geopolitical tensions have further exposed the weakness in global food systems, as showcased by the agri-supply chain disruptions. Worldwide, 500 million small-holder farms produce about 80% of the food consumed in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa and provide livelihoods for more than 2 billion people.Ĭlimate change has exacerbated the already extreme vulnerability of agriculture and as per Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it would lead to an expected decline in crop yield by 10-25% by 2050. This was mainly driven by Asia, where 78 million more people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2020, followed by Africa (25 million more people).Īround 63% of the world’s poorest people work in agriculture, the overwhelming majority on small farms, which produce 50% of all food calories on 30% of the world’s agricultural land. Accordingly, around 3.1 billion people were not able to afford a healthy diet in 2020, an increase of 112 million more people than in 2019. The FAO has estimated that the average cost of a healthy diet globally in 2020 was USD 3.54 per person per day 3.3% and 6.7% more than in 20, respectively. Source: The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022, FAOĪdditionally, the burgeoning inflationary pressures across countries have pushed up the average cost of a healthy diet for all regions and at the global level. Nr = not reported, as the prevalence is less than 2.5 percent Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window).Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window).
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