DO you think Covid-19 pandemic is threatening the long-cherished food security of India?What are the measures to be taken for strengthening food security in India?

 

The COVID-19 pandemic is threatening the long-cherished food security of India (FSI). It has impacted all four aspects, namely 'availability, access, stability, and utilization' of food.

Availability

 

·         The availability of food grains does not seem to have been adversely impacted so far. As of March 1, 2020, the country had sufficient buffers of food grains: 58.4 million tons and pulses 3 million tons. However, it is not so for other commodities such as fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat, milk, and sugar that constitutes 78 percent of the total food consumption. Disruption in supply chains and a decline in demand had caused a huge loss of production and income to the farmers, traders, and consumers.

Access

·         Access to food was not fully assured as a result of the decline in incomes and loss of livelihood after the Pandemic COVID-19. It was further impaired by socio-economic inequities.

·          The food supply chain (FSC) was stressed. There were widespread disruptions owing to restricted movements, the ban on transportation, and border sealing. FSCs were exempt from lockdown, but only 6 percent of the total supply chain was organized. Moreover, private players who are averse to the risk of the virus largely control it; therefore, the role of PDS was critical in ensuring equitable access to food. The regional disparities in the availability of food grains and pulses were also responsible for skewed access to food.

Stability

·         The stability of availability and access to food turned out to be fragile due to global economic slowdown; uncertain incomes and reduced purchasing power; unavailability of labor/manpower and restrictions on movements- local, imports and exports. The pandemic has revived food nationalism.

·         It has made wholesale supplies of food cheaper whereas retail consumers faced a rise in prices because of the disruptions of food supply chains (FSCs). Even for future productions, uncertain supplies and shortage of inputs have raised the cost of production.  As of now, 67 percent of the population is getting free and subsidized ration under the NFSA. Recently the number has been increased to 800 million people.

Utilization

·         The utilization of food is impacted by the absorptive capacity of people, which is constrained by incomes and health standards that are adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

·         The capacity of the common man to purchase and absorb nutritious food declined due to rising health issues as a result of novel coronavirus; comorbid ailments and seasonal diseases-such as dengue fever, common flu.

·         Unaffordable retail prices of non-grain food items and a decline in purchasing power compelled the common man to focus more on calories than wholesome energy. The people were constrained in their choice of preferred food as per local habits/traditions.

Government Efforts

The government had to enhance social safety programs[1] including direct benefit transfers such as cash transfers under PM Kissan, more liberal financing under MGNREGA; advance disbursement Social Security Pensions; direct cash grants to construction workers; and release of free and subsidized food grains under PMGKY to about 800 million people to ensure food for all. Rapid up-gradation of health infrastructure and manpower; and swift readjustment of policies and programs with active association and participation of all stakeholders, be that politicians, governments, NGOs, and private sectors, were other daunting tasks performed very well by the governments.

Measures:

Availability:

·         More input measures to be taken for increases of production in agriculture ,like creditsupport ,subsidies ,supply chain and management , Reaching to the Farmers and Youth with Improved Technologies, Mechanization and Crop Residue Management.

Access:

·         Food supply chain measures like Decentralised agricultural production,implementing Seed hubs and zones, Reopen mandis and markets

Stability

·         Credit Support to farmers  to be enhanced

Utilisation

1.    Effective Implementation  One Nation and One Ration Card Scheme: ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ System. This system will enable the ration card holders to lift their entitled foodgrains from any fair price shop (FPS) of their choice anywhere in the country by using their same/existing ration card.

The following measures can help the country to tackle the food crisis facing it to some extent and strengthen the food system:

• The government should engage and leverage the expertise and finances of the healthcare system for food and nutrition.
• – It has become more urgent than ever to subsidise healthy food and disincentives unhealthy food.
• – With the unbelievable fragmentation of the food system in the country and the nutrition response that COVID has laid bare, it is time to consolidate and invest in a coherent response to multiple forms of malnutrition. This will require the government and experts to work closely with several sectors (health and non-health).
• – Food system innovations are critical and urgently needed especially around enhancing local production and consumption so that nutrient-rich foods are available at less cost for a longer duration.
• – Social advocacy should be used more aggressively and smartly to stimulate demand for protective nutrient-rich foods and to encourage appropriate infant and young child feeding practices, including optimal breastfeeding and diet diversity practices.
• – Community-based management of acute malnutrition should be supported and ramped up. This may require capacity building and strengthening of residents who may act as a supplemental force to the overstrained frontline healthcare and nutrition workers in the field.