- Food Security implies that all individuals, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
- Defined by: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
- Legally recognized in India under: National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
Key Components of the Definition:
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Component
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Meaning
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Physical Access
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Availability of food in local markets or regions.
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Social Access
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No discrimination in food access due to caste, gender, region, etc.
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Economic Access
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Affordability — people can purchase food without financial hardship.
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Adequate Food
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Sufficient in quantity (calories, food items).
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Safe & Nutritious
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Free from contaminants and rich in essential nutrients.
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Dietary Needs
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Meets age-specific and health-specific food requirements.
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Food Preferences
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Respects local culture and individual tastes.
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At All Times
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Continuous access — without disruptions due to crisis, disaster, etc.
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Four Dimensions of Food Security
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Dimension
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Description
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Availability
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Continuous supply of sufficient quantity of food.
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Access
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Economic and physical ability to procure food.
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Utilization
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Effective biological use (nutrition, sanitation, healthcare).
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Stability
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Reliable access to food over time, unaffected by shocks (e.g., disasters).
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Key Government Schemes & Initiatives
National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
- Provides legal right to food for:
- 75% of rural population
- 50% of urban population
- Subsidized rates:
- ₹3/kg (rice), ₹2/kg (wheat), ₹1/kg (coarse grains)
- Covers:
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) – poorest families
- Mid-Day Meal Scheme, ICDS, and PDS
Public Distribution System (PDS)
- Operated via Fair Price Shops (FPS)
- Involves procurement (FCI), storage, and subsidized distribution
- Digitized in many states with e-PoS machines
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)
- Launched during COVID-19 to provide 5 kg free foodgrain/month.
- Merged into NFSA from January 2023: All NFSA beneficiaries now get foodgrain free of cost.
One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)
- Enables portability of ration cards across states.
- Critical for migrant workers and urban poor.
- Implemented across all 36 States/UTs (as of Jan 2024).
Poshan Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission)
- Launched in 2018, targets malnutrition reduction by:
- Convergence of ministries
- Use of Jan andolan and technology
- Focus on:
- Pregnant & lactating women
- Children under 6
- Adolescent girls
History & Evolution of PDS
Origins (1960s)
- Emerged from critical food shortages post-independence.
- Focused on urban scarcity areas.
- Expansion during the Green Revolution to tribal and poverty-stricken rural areas.
Revamped PDS (RPDS) – 1992
- Aim: Strengthen reach in remote, hilly, and underdeveloped areas.
- Covered 1775 blocks under poverty alleviation programs.
- Issued foodgrains at 50 paise below the Central Issue Price (CIP).
- Included extra items (pulses, tea, soap, etc.).
Targeted PDS (TPDS) – 1997
- Focused on targeting poor families more effectively.
- Introduced categories: Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL).
- Initially covered 6 crore poor families, based on Planning Commission poverty estimates.
- Increased allocation for BPL from 10 kg to 20 kg, later up to 35 kg/month for certain schemes.
Global & Institutional Support
- FAO: Provides policy support and technical aid
- World Food Programme (WFP): Partners with India for logistics & school meals
- Global Hunger Index (GHI): India ranks low due to high child undernutrition
- Global Food Security Index (GFSI) by EIU: Evaluates food affordability, availability, quality
Challenges to Food Security in India
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Issue
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Explanation
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Malnutrition
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Despite surplus grain production, poor nutrition persists
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Inefficient PDS
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Leakages, corruption, exclusion errors
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Climate Change
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Unpredictable monsoons, droughts, floods affect food production
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Post-Harvest Losses
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Over 20% food loss due to poor storage and processing infrastructure
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Soil & Water Degradation
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Overuse of fertilizers, water scarcity threaten long-term sustainability
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Economic Access
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Price inflation, job loss reduce affordability of food
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Way Forward
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Reform Area
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Suggested Actions
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Agricultural Resilience
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Promote climate-smart crops (like millets), crop diversification
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Modernize PDS
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Implement smart cards, GPS tracking, end-to-end digital supply chain
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Nutritional Security
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Food fortification, nutrition gardens, dietary awareness
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Urban Food Access
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Community kitchens, buffer stocks for cities
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Private Sector Role
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Encourage food processing, cold chain investment
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Research & Innovation
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Boost ICAR-led research in bio-fortification, productivity
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