Malnutrition in India
The significance of ending world hunger:
- To ensure that the world achieves “Zero Hunger by 2030,” which is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 2) established by the United Nations, hunger is being mapped.
- If hunger is to be totally abolished, it is necessary to address malnutrition, which is an indication of hunger, as well as the security of food and nutrition.
- Every year on October 16, World Food Day is marked to bring attention to the issue of world hunger.
India’s nutritional issue:
- The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 194.4 million Indians, or 14.5% of the population, are undernourished (FAO).
- India is ranked 102 out of 117 nations in the 2019 Global Hunger Index.
- Malnutrition was every Indian state’s primary cause of death for children under the age of five in 2017, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research. (ICMR).
- Malnutrition is one of the main causes of death and disability in India, per the 2017 Global Burden of Disease Study.
What is the underlying reason behind India’s severe malnutrition?
Monoculture agricultural practices: The issue of starvation has not gotten enough attention, despite a five-fold increase in food grain output since Independence.
- This is due to the fact that the farm sector in India has traditionally prioritized expanding food production, especially of basic foods (wheat and rice).
- Because fewer of the traditional indigenous crops and grains, fruits, and other vegetables were produced and consumed, this had an effect on the security of food and nutrition.
- Due to the potential for deteriorating the quality of the land, the water, and the food produced via them, these intense monoculture agricultural practises have the potential to make the problem of food and nutrition security worse.
- India’s eating patterns have drastically changed over the past few decades, which has led to the extinction of numerous nutrient-dense regional foods like millets.
Poverty: Although it doesn’t cause malnutrition on its own, poverty has an impact on the likelihood that individuals who are most at risk will have access to sufficient quantities of nutritious food.
Lack of access to clean drinking water, poor hygiene habits, and inadequate sanitation all enhance a person’s vulnerability to infectious and water-borne diseases, which are direct contributors to acute malnutrition.
- Migration: Historically, the poorest households in India have used seasonal migration as a means of obtaining food and cash by working as temporary laborers.
- However, the suffering people experience throughout migrations severely affects the health of children and women the most.
- Inequitable treatment of women due to their gender is correlated with poor nutrition.
- Malnourished girls grow into malnourished teenagers who get married young and have malnourished offspring, which feeds the cycle.
- Policy gaps: Combining all of these variables, there is a paucity of contemporary data that shows the prevalence of malnutrition in India.
- sloppy execution: It will take more political will and better grassroots policy implementation to provide healthful nourishment for the children of the country.
- For instance, the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in the state of Bihar was unsuccessful due to the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) outbreak.
Initiatives by the Government to Fight Hunger:
Program for Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS):
- The initiative offers specialised therapies for women and children under the age of six, among other vulnerable groups.
- The Ministry of Women and Child Development is handling it.
- There are six services it offers, including immunisation, referral services, and supplemental nourishment.
National Health Mission (NHM):
- The National Health Mission was introduced by the Indian government in 2013. (NHM).
- The National Rural Health Mission and the National Urban Health Mission were both covered.
- The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is carrying it out.
- In March 2018, it was once more extended till March 2020.
- Strengthening the health systems for communicable and non-communicable illnesses, as well as reproductive, maternity, neonatal, child, and adolescent health (RMNCH+A), is one of the primary programme components.
Mid-day Scheme:
- It began as a programme with government support in 1995.
- A free hot supper is provided to every student in classes I through VIII who enrols and attends the school between the ages of six and fourteen every day, excluding school holidays.
- The Department of School Education and Literacy of the HRD Ministry oversees the Mid Day Meal Program.
The IGMSY, or Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojna:
- The initiative gives pregnant and nursing moms financial incentives for better health and nutrition in an effort to foster a more encouraging environment.
- The National Nutritional Policy of 1993 is to be carried out by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- The Ministry of Women and Child Development oversaw the adoption of the National Nutrition Policy (NNP).
- The NNP’s multi-sectoral approach to promoting optimum nutrition for everyone and eliminating malnutrition.
How to Continue Further:
Multi-sectoral approach:
- An integrated nutrition strategy is necessary for significant improvements in all indicators of malnutrition in the states of India.
- Additionally, these developments raise the status of women, expand access to clean drinking water, decrease the prevalence of open defecation, boost agricultural output, strengthen food security, and promote nutrient-sensitive agriculture.
- Through the coordination of efforts across ministries, political will, and sound administration, an integrated nutrition strategy can be realised.
- These coordinated efforts will offer the most underserved populations vital nutrition support.
- According to the National Nutrition Mission’s (POSHAN Abhiyaan) mission statement, India shall be “malnutrition free” by 2022.
- Poshan Abhiyaan, India’s flagship initiative, is a great pick because it strives to improve nutritional outcomes for kids, teens, pregnant women, and nursing moms.
- However, eliminating mortality from severe acute malnutrition will need long-term investments in nutrition, sanitation, and health.
- Decentralize the administration of welfare programmes to give Panchayats more control.
- Initiatives to diversify the public distribution system should include millets.
- Boost MGNREGA to provide more food security.
- Droughts may cause significant damage to rural regions, but MGNREGA can help to mitigate those effects.
