India's War on Hunger; a Losing Battle?

India is ranked 97th among a total of 118 countries according to Global Hunger Index (GHI), 2016 published by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Low ranking of a country indicates, higher levels of hunger and undernutrition. For all its high growth numbers, India ranks below its poorer neighbors, Bangladesh and Nepal. Unless, one wants take perverse satisfaction in ranking slightly above Pakistan -the sad state of hunger in India does not go well with its ambitions as a soon to be global economic power.

With GHI of 28.5, India belongs to a category of countries which are classified as those with ‘serious’ hunger problem.  Amongst its fellow BRICS members, India distinguishes itself as the only country with ‘serious’ hunger problem.

Global Hunger Index is calculated based on four different indicators of undernutrition -proportion of population that is undernourished (does not consume minimum required calories), prevalence of wasting in children under 5 years (in %), prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years (in %) and proportion of children dying before the age of 5 (in %). The index takes values between zero and hundred - the former indicates absolute lack of hunger while the later indicates very high levels of hunger.

With 15% (190 million) of the population undernourished, 15% (….million) children under 5- suffering from wasting, 39% (…..million) of children under 5 stunted and 5% (…million) mortality rate of under 5 children - it is time India tackles the problem of hunger head on, instead of waiting for growth to trickle down and do the job.