A Comparative Study of the Causes, Consequences, and Interventions Undertaken to Mitigate Hunger in India and Around the World
Executive Summary: India’s food crisis, characterised by high rates of malnutrition, is being slowly mitigated through government initiatives such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the National Nutrition Mission. However, challenges such as poverty and inadequate coordination hinder progress.
Similarly, food crises in countries such as Yemen, Somalia, and Haiti are severe, necessitating efforts to support agriculture, provide resources and training, and strengthen governance and policy frameworks to mitigate the problem. International collaboration is crucial in addressing these crises worldwide.
Introduction
Malnutrition refers to a condition that arises when the body does not receive adequate nutrients to maintain optimal health and functioning. It can result from a deficiency, an excess, or an imbalance of nutrients in the diet. Malnutrition can affect people of all ages, from infants and children to adults and the elderly, and is a significant global health concern.
India is facing a significant food crisis with alarming rates of malnutrition among children under five. Factors such as poverty, limited access to nutritious food, and inadequate healthcare contribute to this crisis. Even with the government having several initiatives in place to combat the issue and improve healthcare services, there are significant challenges in executing the same.
Globally, food crises continue to have devastating impacts. From Yemen and Somalia to Haiti, there are many countries still struggling to address the nutritional needs of their citizens. This research paper aims at understanding the causes and consequences of such food crises in India and on a global level and to examine interventions undertaken to mitigate the crisis as well.
Methodology
For the purposes of this research paper, multiple methods of data collection were employed to facilitate comprehensive analysis and establish meaningful correlations.
Primary data: A comprehensive interview was conducted with a distinguished expert from an esteemed organisation working on the field to address the issue- Action Against Hunger. A concise summary of the interview, rewritten for easy understanding, has been included in the paper.
Secondary data: A comparative study of the causes, consequences, and interventions executed to combat hunger was conducted between India and three other countries of the world namely Yemen, Somalia, and Haiti.
Widespread prevalence of the food crisis in India
India has one of the highest rates of malnutrition globally. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) conducted in 2015-16, nearly 38% of children under the age of five in India are stunted (low height for age), 21% are wasted (low weight for height), and 35.7% are underweight.
Malnutrition rates vary across different states and regions of India. Generally, states with higher poverty rates and lower socio-economic indicators tend to have higher rates of malnutrition. In India, Bihar has the highest rate of malnutrition while Pondicherry and Sikkim have the lowest rates of malnutrition.
Contributing factors to malnutrition in India
Malnutrition in India has multifaceted causes including poverty, inadequate access to nutritious food, lack of healthcare facilities, poor sanitation and hygiene, limited access to clean water, inadequate infant and young child feeding practices, and inadequate maternal and child care.
Malnutrition has severe consequences for children’s health and development. It can lead to physical and cognitive impairments, reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to diseases, and even higher mortality rates.
While malnutrition affects children severely, it has a similar detrimental effect on mothers as well. Malnourished mothers are more likely to give birth to underweight babies, thus perpetuating the cycle of malnutrition. Maternal malnutrition also increases the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Government Interventions to Combat Hunger in India
The Indian government has implemented various programs to address malnutrition including the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme which involves providing food, preschool education, and primary education to children under 6 years of age and their mothers, the National Health Mission (NHM), and the National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan). These governmental programmes aim to reduce child stunting, underweight and low birth weight by 2 percentage points per annum and anaemia among children (and young females) by 3 percentage points per annum.
These governmental initiatives aim to improve the availability of nutritious food, enhance healthcare services, promote breastfeeding, and raising awareness about proper nutrition. The government also undertook the “1000 day initiative” which involves providing parents and healthcare workers with the most recent and up-to-date knowledge regarding the most important factors that can impact a child’s cognitive development during the first 1000 days of a child’s life, starting from their conception.
Challenges in Addressing the Food Crisis in India
Despite efforts to tackle malnutrition, several challenges persist, such as poverty, lack of awareness, poor infrastructure, and the complex nature of the issue. Implementation gaps, inadequate funding, and limited coordination among different sectors such as health, agriculture, environment, sanitation, gender, and education also hinder the progress in combating malnutrition effectively.
Causes, Consequences, and Interventions for Hunger Crisis Around the World
Unfortunately, today, global hunger remains a pervasive issue, resulting in approximately 25,000 deaths each day, with 10,000 of them being children, as reported by the United Nations. This dire situation has been further exacerbated by escalating food prices and the exorbitant cost of fuel.
For the purposes of this research paper, we examined the food crisis in three specific countries – Yemen, Somalia, and Haiti.
Yemen has been facing one of the world’s most severe food crises. The ongoing civil war, which started in 2015, has led to a breakdown in infrastructure, widespread violence, and displacement of people. These factors have severely disrupted agricultural production, distribution channels, and access to food, leading to a dire humanitarian situation. The level of hunger currently experienced in Yemen is unparalleled, resulting in immense suffering for millions of individuals. Malnutrition rates among women and children in the country are among the highest worldwide, with 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women and 2.2 million children under the age of 5 requiring treatment for acute malnutrition.
Somalia does not fare any better. The country is confronted with a dire hunger crisis, grappling with the devastating effects of an extreme drought in the Horn of Africa. The situation has reached catastrophic levels, with 6.5 million individuals experiencing acute food insecurity due to the driest conditions witnessed in four decades. This alarming state follows five consecutive seasons of failed rainfall. It is essential to prevent a recurrence of the tragic events of 2011 when a quarter of a million lives were lost during the declared famine.
Another country facing severe hunger issues is Haiti. Haiti has experienced chronic food insecurity due to a combination of factors including poverty, environmental degradation, and natural disasters. Frequent hurricanes, deforestation, and soil erosion have severely impacted agricultural productivity. The country also struggles with inadequate infrastructure and limited access to markets. The insufficient rainfall in 2021 has led to diminished harvests, exacerbating the challenges faced by the affected regions. In addition, a severe cholera outbreak in 2022 has resulted in over 20,000 reported cases, half of which involve children.
Insights from an expert working on the field in India
In order to understand various interventions undertaken the combat the crisis in India and the challenges faced in implementing such solutions, an interview was conducted with an expert from Action Against Hunger, an organisation working in many countries around the world to address the problem of hunger.
In countries like India, the organisation faces challenges in effectively referring malnourished children to Nutritional Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs). Other challenges include families in rural areas being reluctant to seek treatment due to the fear of losing income, with decision-making power often in the hands of other family members. Moreover, government facilities in India are not adequately equipped to address the crisis which is another hurdle.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further worsened the food crisis, leading to a shift towards telecounseling, which has proven to be less effective. This change has created barriers for daily wage earners who lack the necessary means to access telecommunication services. The increasing population of India has posed a significant problem to the organisation’s aim of reducing the hunger crisis, as it struggles to meet the rising demand for food and health supplies. While different approaches are adopted to tackle the food crisis in the United States, Africa, and India, the focus in India primarily revolves around nutrition.
In terms of nutrition, food security, and livelihood, a behaviour change and counselling-based model is undertaken. In India, organisational efforts involve providing counselling to malnourished children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The importance of the 1000-day model is emphasised for optimal child development. Additionally, self-sustainability is promoted by introducing initiatives such as kitchen gardens and fish farming in rural areas. These initiatives not only improve nutrition but also offer beneficiaries the opportunity to generate income by selling the surplus produce or fish.
Conclusion
Malnutrition is a serious issue that has affected billions of people in the world. It is an issue of concern in both developed and developing countries but is more detrimental to developing countries. A lot of people in Central African and South Asian countries are dying each year due to hunger and malnourishment. The majority of the child population in India is suffering from the severe effects of malnutrition. This is because of hunger, poverty, and eating food that lacks essential nutrients.
There have been several efforts taken by the government of India and globally to reduce poverty by launching initiatives at state and national levels. This has led to bring a positive effect. Yet, there is a need for proper implementation of policies and nutrition programs to obtain even better results.
Social evils like poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment have to be tackled first in order to see long-term change that is impactful. Policies and programs aimed to mitigate the hunger crisis need to be implemented in an effective manner at the root level with the support of every individual in the world. This might ultimately lead to eradication of malnutrition gradually in different nations of the world.
Recommendations
Based on the primary and secondary research undertaken for this paper, given below are some recommendations to further mitigate the food crisis around the world:
1. Improve access to nutritious food: Enhance agricultural practices, promote sustainable food production, and support small-scale farmers. Increase investment in infrastructure for storage, transportation, and market access to reduce food waste and enable the availability of nutritious foods in remote and vulnerable areas.
2. Enhance nutrition-sensitive agriculture: Encourage the cultivation and consumption of diverse crops including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and traditional nutrient-rich foods. Promote agroforestry and permaculture techniques to maximise land use and biodiversity.
3. Strengthen social protection programs: Implement safety nets such as conditional cash transfers, school feeding programs, and community-based nutrition initiatives, targeting the most vulnerable populations including pregnant women, lactating mothers, infants, and young children.
4. Promote nutrition education: Educate communities about healthy dietary practices, the importance of breastfeeding, appropriate infant and young child feeding practices, and the benefits of diverse and balanced diets. Implement nutrition education programs in schools, health facilities, and communities.
5. Improve access to clean water and sanitation: Enhance access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities to prevent waterborne diseases that can lead to malnutrition. Implement hygiene education programs to promote good hygiene practices, especially handwashing with soap.
6. Strengthen healthcare systems: Enhance access to essential health services, including antenatal care, immunisations, and treatment for acute malnutrition. Train healthcare workers to identify and manage malnutrition effectively.
7. Empower women: Promote gender equality and women’s empowerment as they play a vital role in household food security and child nutrition. Provide women with access to resources, education, and income-generating opportunities.
8. Implement food fortification and supplementation: Fortify staple foods with essential vitamins and minerals such as iodine, iron, and vitamin A. Provide nutrient supplements such as vitamin and mineral supplements, and ready-to-use therapeutic foods for individuals at risk or those experiencing malnutrition.
9. Strengthen data collection and monitoring: Establish robust surveillance systems to monitor malnutrition rates and trends. Regularly collect and analyse data to inform evidence-based interventions and track progress towards eliminating malnutrition.
10. Foster partnerships and international cooperation: Collaborate with governments, international organisations, civil societies, and the private sector to pool resources, share knowledge and expertise, and coordinate efforts to address malnutrition effectively.
Bibliography:
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- https://www.nextias.com/current-affairs/28-07-2022/malnutrition-in-india
- https://www.academia.edu/51930317/Studying_the_Prevalence_of_Malnutrition_in_India_An_Inter_State_Analysis
- https://www.prb.org/resources/combating-malnutrition-with-more-than-income-growth/
- https://www.wfp.org/emergencies/yemen-emergency
- https://www.wfp.org/emergencies/somalia-emergency
- https://plan-international.org/haiti/hunger-crisis-in-haiti/
Authors: Seerath Prakash, Srinjay Mukherjee
Seerath Prakash is a student of Modern School Barakhamba Road, currently studying in grade 12. She has a keen interest in human welfare and also regularly organizes drives to provide food for the underprivileged.
Srinjay Mukherjee is a student of DPS Monarch International School in Doha, studying in grade 12. He has a keen interest in history, politics, and international relations, and enjoys writing on a variety of fictional and non-fictional topics.
