scholarly journals Starving Millions and Right to Food

1970 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-47
Author(s):  
Sai Teja Vangala ◽  
Anshuman Singh

Right to food is a basic human right. In India, with increase in population the demand for food is on the rise. Providing adequate food to the teeming millions has been a challenge for the government. This paper explores the origin of right to food while placing the emphasis on the realisation of the right in its true sense. It argues that the state has failed to secure adequate food to its citizenry because of its misplaced priorities and lack of political will. It calls for strengthening of public distribution system and buffer stock to guarantee adequate food security to people.

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 566-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Rideout ◽  
Graham Riches ◽  
Aleck Ostry ◽  
Don Buckingham ◽  
Rod MacRae

AbstractWe offer a critique of Canada's approach to domestic food security with respect to international agreements, justiciability and case law, the breakdown of the public safety net, the institutionalisation of charitable approaches to food insecurity, and the need for ‘joined-up’ food and nutrition policies. We examined Canada's commitments to the right to food, as well as Canadian policies, case law and social trends, in order to assess Canada's performance with respect to the human right to food. We found that while Canada has been a leader in signing international human rights agreements, including those relating to the right to food, domestic action has lagged and food insecurity increased. We provide recommendations for policy changes that could deal with complex issues of state accountability, social safety nets and vulnerable populations, and joined-up policy frameworks that could help realise the right to adequate food in Canada and other developed nations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet J. Rodríguez García

The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, approved by The General Assembly of the United Nations, recognized the right to food as a Basic Human Right. Consequently, at the national level, programs, norms, and laws were decreed to promote the population's health and nutrition. The 1999 Venezuelan Constitution explicitly included, for the first time, the term “Food Security” in Article 305. Subsequently, the government approved various laws and guidelines to regulate the right to food of the population. However, despite such laws, the well-being of the population has not improved. According to the 2020 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (2020), between 2017 and 2019, the undernourishment prevalence amounted to 31.4%. Also, reports from Caritas showed 14.4% of Global Acute Malnutrition in children under 5 years of age, and 20% of children were at risk of acute malnutrition for the period April–June 2020. Other factors have influenced the actual Venezuelan food insecurity condition. The current severe economic and social crisis has led to a Complex Humanitarian Emergency. This work aimed to consider if decreeing many laws related to food and nutrition is not enough to reduce this scourge, or if there is any guarantee that the Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) of the people would improve.


Social Change ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-221
Author(s):  
K. Radhakrishna Murty

India’s tribal population suffers mainly from deprivation and marginalisation. Caught in vicious cycles of poverty and social exclusion, tribals often struggle to survive while opportunities to access information, supplies and essential services elude them. Given this scenario, the present study intends to evaluate and assess the impact of the public distribution system run by the Government of India in a few selected tribal pockets in the state of Andhra Pradesh in the context of food security vis-à-vis the socio-economic situation of tribals. In this process, the study also covers the crucial aspect of a tribal’s right to food from the viewpoint of its availability, accessibility, adequacy and affordability—an area which is still an elusive chimera.


2018 ◽  
pp. 178-189
Author(s):  
Grishma Soni ◽  
Prachi V. Motiyani

As we all know that food is the basic Human necessity, without which no one can survive. Making food available for all the people in the world is now days becoming a complex issue. The availability food is decreasing as a result of increase in population that will result in food insecurity or malnutrition. Indian constitution interprets the right to food as part of right to life, which is fundamental human right. Change in climate, the impact of globalization, Global Warming, Carbon dioxide emission from fuel etc. also affects the right to food of many people. This paper examines the situation prevailing in India and looks into the obligations and initiatives by the government of India to ensure Right to Food and make suggestions for addressing the issue and examines the possible way to make the scheme workable to achieve food security.


2017 ◽  
pp. 221-247
Author(s):  
Rajesh Chakrabarti ◽  
Kaushiki Sanyal

This chapter narrates the saga of the Right to Food Security. Briefly pointing out various prior food movements, the chapter dates the movement to 2001 in Rajasthan with a writ petition at the Supreme Court. The SC took up the issue with surprising enthusiasm issuing order after order to force the government to comply with reports and action. The government, while not antagonistic, was apathetic. Encouraged by the court orders the activists gathered under a single banner of Right to Food Campaign in 2004 and built on the campaign in court as well as on the ground. Political support finally came when the issue entered UPA’s election manifesto in 2009. Post UPA victory, the NAC submitted its draft bill in 2010 but a substantially altered bill finally got enacted in 2013. The movement reflects a combination of Punctuated Equilibrium Framework and Advocacy Coalition Framework.


Author(s):  
Juan Manuel Goig Martínez

La alimentación adecuada constituye un derecho humano. Así lo han reconocido oficialmente la gran mayoría de los Tratados Internacionales sobre derechos humanos. Pero existe una gran diferencia entre que un Estado reconozca oficialmente la alimentación como un derecho fundamental en su constitución, o lo haga como un principio rector, puesto que ello dotará al derecho a la alimentación adecuada de una mayor protección, o lo convertirá en un principio de actuación de los poderes públicos. Se puede exigir a los gobiernos garantizar el ejercicio efectivo del derecho a la alimentación de conformidad con las disposiciones constitucionales para otros derechos humanos. Pero, la capacidad de la invocación indirecta de otros derechos humanos para lograr la protección efectiva del derecho a la alimentación en el plano nacional dependerá, en definitiva, de la interpretación jurídica que se haga de la Constitución.Adequate food is a human right. Thus the vast majority of treaties have officially recognized it human rights. But there is a big difference between that a State officially recognizes food as a fundamental right in the Constitution, or do it as a guiding principle, since this will provide the right to adequate food of greater protection, or the It will become a principle of action of the public authorities. You may require Governments to ensuring the effective exercise of the right to food in accordance with the constitutional provisions for other human rights. But the indirect invocation of other human rights capacity to achieve effective protection of the right to food at the national level will depend, ultimately, of the legal interpretation that is made of the Constitution.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adnan Shakeel

Present article follow up the recent debates that is being discussed in the country with respect to the National Food Security Act – 2013. Present article is based on the secondary sources of information collected through various books, magazines, journals, newspapers, government and non-governmental reports. The purpose of the article is to trace the discussion among various economist, planners, researchers and policy makers in order to analyse whether National food Security Act is a triumph for those who are in desperate need of it (poor and destitute), or a tragedy for those officials speaking against the Act. The main emphasis of the article is to discuss the cost of implementation of NFSA because it was believed that after its implementation it will put heavy burden on the government exchequer due to subsidies provided under it.  Article also examines the challenges related to Food Corporation of India with respect to procurement, storage and distribution of foodgrains. Moreover, article also discusses the NFSA with respect to the Integrated Child Development Scheme, its affect on small and marginal farmers of the country, challenges related to public distribution system.


Author(s):  
Vanguru. Naga Satyanarayana ◽  
Dr. M. Rajasekhara Babu

Public Distribution System in India has been one of the most crucial elements in food policy and food security system in the country. Public Distribution System in has close links with food security for the vulnerable segment of population. It is so because Public Distribution System is considered as a principal instrument in the hands of the government for providing safety net to the poor and thedowntrodden. Public Distribution System is the largest distribution network of its kind in the world. It emerged out as rationing measure in the backdrop of Bengal famine as well as a war-time measure during Second World War. The Government of India in an effort to ensure fair supply of food items to all citizens of India instituted Fair Price Shops (FPS) under Public Distribution System (PDS). Essential commodities such as Rice, Wheat, Sugar, Kerosene, etc., are supplied to the targeted underprivileged sections as per the eligibility and at fixed by the Government of India. In spite of the best efforts by Government officials at various levels, there are a few bottlenecks and inconveniences to the targeted citizens in availing the services provided. Over the years, Public Distribution System has expanded enormously as poverty alleviation and food security measure to become a permanent feature of Indian Economy. The Andhra Pradesh state incorporated various modifications from time to time to make its implementation more relevant for the masses and to increase its effectiveness. This paper analyzes that whether Public Distribution System is able to achieve its objective of providing food security to the people. The present paper discusses a brief review of welfare schemes and also makes a study of existing Public Distribution System in Andhra Pradesh. An attempt has been made in this study to ascertain the problems prevailing in Public Distribution System and to recommend suggestions to make Public Distribution System is more effective.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (48) ◽  
pp. 5493-5509
Author(s):  
PM Rukundo ◽  
◽  
JK Kikafunda ◽  
A Oshaug ◽  
◽  
...  

The right to adequate food recognised under international law provides a strong foundation for eradicating hunger and malnutrition in all nations. Uganda ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in 1987 and thereby committed itself to ensure the realization of the right to adequate food recognised under Article 11 of the Covenant. This study analysed the roles and capacity of duty bearers in the realization of the right to adequate food in Uganda. Structured interviews were held with purposefully selected duty bearers from 11 districts in the country between February and July 2007. Districts were selected by criterion based sampling. Relevant policies, budgets, and legislation were also reviewed, particularly with state obligations on human rights, and capacity of duty bearers in mind. Although this right is expressly recognised in the Food and Nutrition Policy of 2003 in which a multi-sectoral approach is proposed, sector-specific roles are not explicitly defined in Uganda’s institutional and policy framework. Most duty bearer (63%) considered the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) as being responsible for the delays in implementing the relevant actions for the right to food. The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) reported receiving inadequate budget resources to support the right to food. Only 20% of duty bearers had knowledge of the General Comment 12, which is an important United Nations instrument that defines and elaborates on the human right to adequate food. Duty bearer’s knowledge of the right to food in the national Constitution had a significant (X2 = 0.003; P<0.05) positive correlation (R=0.283) with membership status to an ad hoc Uganda Food and Nutrition Council (UFNC). A proposed Food and Nutrition Bill had taken over 10 years without being presented to the National Parliament for the process of enactment into law. As such, most of the support for this right came from development partners. Whereas the ministry of health and MAAIF are line ministries in the implementation of food and nutrition policy, the right to food roles of the various duty bearers in Uganda need to be well defined. Capacity development is also needed, particularly related to integrating right to food sector-specific roles into the theoretical development and practical implementation of food and nutrition security programmes at all levels in the country.


2021 ◽  
pp. 125-145
Author(s):  
Francesco Alicino

With this article the Author focuses the attention on today's multiple facets of the food crises, which prevents from characterizing countries as low-income and undernourished or high-income and only concerned with people overweight or obese. This will allow to underscore the multi-sectorial aspects of the right to food, including the environmental foodprint. It, on the other hand, explains the function of the judiciary, which will lead to the broader notion of both the adequate food and the food system while sharpening their sustainability. For these same reasons, today's food system may offer a valuable space for learning to eliminate, or at least reduce, the unreasonable discriminations and unsustainable social injustice.


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