Food Security and Nutrition in Rural India: Understanding State Level Heterogeneity

According to the Global Hunger Report, India continues to be among nations where hunger is "alarming". It is most disappointing that despite high economic growth, the hunger index in India between 1996 and 2011 has insignificantly improved from 22.9 to 23.7. National Sample Survey Organization data revealed that the average per capita food expenditure per annum during the period from 1993 to 2010 increased only by 0.2 % annually in rural India and declined by 0.1% in the urban areas. At any given point of time, the cereal intake of the bottom 20% people in rural India which is engaged more in manual work continues to be at least 20% less than the cereal intake of the top decile of the population, despite their better access to fruit, vegetables and meat products. Endemic hunger continues to afflict a large proportion of the population. Agricultural Census [2010–11] revealed that out of 138.35 million operational holdings in India as high as 85% (which account for 44.6% of the total cultivated area) are small and marginal farmers [S&MFs] owning less than two hectares. This, therefore, characterises India’s agriculture a small-scale-farming. Average size of small-holding is only 0.61 hectare whereas overall average size of holdings declined from 1.33 ha in 2000–01 to 1.15 in 2010–11.The role of S&MFs in boosting food output and reduction of poverty is well recognized. Therefore, the future of sustainable agricultural growth, food security and poverty reduction in India depends on creating environment that enables huge number of S&MFs to easy, hassle-free and reliable access to institutional credit. Against this background, this article analyses the performance of Government–sponsored and Banks programs aimed at financing S&MFs and suggest enabling measures to achieve 8% target of credit to S&MFs within existing 18% credit to agriculture by 2017 as recently prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India [RBI].

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Direct and indirect influence of coronavirus on livestock production management

Nigerian Journal of Animal Production ◽

10.51791/njap.v48i4.3013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 32-38

Author(s):

K. A. Olaifa ◽

A. O. Agbeja ◽

I. O. Asinwa ◽

D. R. Akindolu ◽

M. S. Akinlade

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Production Management ◽

Review Paper ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Sécurité Alimentaire ◽

Article De Synthèse ◽

History Of ◽

Food Security And Nutrition ◽

Groupes De Population ◽

Vulnerable Population Groups

The pandemic is not new in the history of humanity. The pandemic called COVID-19 disease has a great impact on the actions and activities of humanity and consequently on the Environment. Food demand and thus food security are greatly affected due to mobility restrictions, reduced purchasing power and with a greater impact on the most vulnerable population groups. The COVID-19 crisis has threatened the livestock production, food security and nutrition of millions of people, many of whom were already suffering. This review paper highlights these effects and proffered solutions to the problems. La pandémie n'est pas nouvelle dans l'histoire de l'humanité. La pandémie appelée maladie COVID-19 a un grand impact sur les actions et les activités de l'humanité et par conséquent sur l'environnement. La demande alimentaire et donc la sécurité alimentaire sont fortement affectées en raison des restrictions de mobilité, de la réduction du pouvoir d'achat et d'un impact plus important sur les groupes de population les plus vulnérables. La crise du COVID-19 a menacé la production animale, la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition de millions de personnes, dont beaucoup souffraient déjà. Cet article de synthèse met en évidence ces effets et propose des solutions aux problèmes.

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