Reimagining Food Systems With Lessons From India

Context: Due to COVID-19 disruption the world has seen the fragility and vulnerability of food systems hence requires new actions and some lessons from India on Global Food Systems.

Global Food systems

• Global Food Systems are networks that are needed to produce and transform food and ensure it reaches consumers or the paths that food travels from production to plate.
• Impact of Flawed Food Systems:
  • Rise in Global Hunger.
  • Food insecurity driving conflict and instability across the world.

Challenges:

• COVID-19 pandemic induced disruption in food value chains.
• Climate change and unsustainable use of land & Water Resources.
• Nutritional challenges due to the excessive focus on mono-cropping (Wheat &Rice) leading to inadequate dietary diversity.
  • According to, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’ report, around a tenth of the global population was undernourished last year.
• Reducing food wastage or loss of food.
• India Specific Challenges:
  • Paradoxical Situation: India is a food surplus and at the same time, having 15% of the population is undernourished.
  • Higher prevalence of undernutrition than 50% more than the world average.
  • Higher Food wastage exceeding ?1-lakh crore.

WAY Forward: Lessons from India & Global Food Systems Summit

• India’s s Contributions to equity in food is lessons for Other developing countries. India took various decisions to transform itself from chronic food shortage to surplus food producer:
• Diversification of agriculture between 1991 to 2015 focusing on horticulture, dairy, animal husbandry, and fishery sectors.
• National Food Security Act 2013 includes Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), the Mid-Day meals (MDM), & the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
• Decision of fortification of rice supplied through the Public Distribution System with iron
• Focus on research in Agricultural Institutes for developing crops of higher nutritional values.
• Proportion of the undernourished population declined from 6% during 2004-06 to 15.4% during 2018-20.
• Food systems transformation should revolve around small- and medium-scale production, family farmers, indigenous peoples, women, and workers in food value chains.
• Implementation of action tracks of Food System Summits
• Ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all;
• Shift to sustainable consumption patterns;
• Boost nature-positive production;
• Advance equitable livelihoods, and Build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress.