Economics

Food Security and Nurtition_Content

Introduction:

 Food is defined as any substance that people eat and drink to maintain life and growth. Food security
would denote a person's ability to eat enough, stay active and lead a healthy life.
Food Security:
 The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation defines food security as follows: "Food security
exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and
nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life."
 According to eminent agricultural scientist M.S.Swaminathan, nutrition security is: "physical, economic and
social access to a balanced diet, safe drinking water, environmental hygiene, primary health care and
primary education".

Basic components of food and nutrition security:

 The term was broadened to include the three basic components of food and nutrition security. They are
availability, access and absorption:
1. Availability of food is physical availability of food stocks in desired quantities, which is a function of
domestic production, changes in stocks and imports;
2. Access to food is primarily a matter of purchasing power and is therefore closely linked with the
capabilities and employment opportunities to earn. Capabilities and opportunities in turn are related to one's
access to assets and education.
3. Absorption of food is the ability to biologically utilise the food consumed. Several factors such as nutrition,
knowledge and practices, safe and hygienic environmental conditions allow for effective biological
absorption of food and health status.

Availability and Access to Food Grains:

 After Independence, India chose to adopt a planned developmental model.
 After an initial focus on agriculture, industrialisation was given priority.
 United States of America extended assistance through its Public Law 480 (PL 480) scheme to India during
early 1960s. This situation was popularly known as 'Ship to Mouth' existence.
 Cheaper farm credit was disbursed to farmers through co-operative banks and societies. Minimum
support price (MSP) for the crops were announced at the beginning of the season and the state procured
the harvested grains through the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Public Distribution System:

 The nature, scope and functioning of PDS varies from state to state While Tamil Nadu has adopted an
'Universal' PDS, the rest of the states in India had a 'Targeted' PDS. Under universal PDS all the family
ration card holders are entitled to the supplies from PDS.
 Subsequently, the National Food Security Act (NFSA) was passed by the Indian parliament in 2013.

Purchasing Power:
 Purchasing power is the value of a currency expressed in terms of the amount of goods or services that
one unit of money can buy. Price increases purchasing power declines and vice versa
 As such, a country's government institutes policies and regulations to protect a currency's purchasing
power and keep an economy healthy. One method to monitor purchasing power is through the Consumer
Price Index.
Multi-dimensional Nature of Poverty:
 Multi-dimensional poverty measures can be used to create a more comprehensive picture. They reveal
who is poor, how they are poor and the range of disadvantages they experience.
 The Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) was launched by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty Human Development Initiative (OPHI) in 2010.
 Multi-dimensional poverty is made up of several factors that constitute poor people's experience of
deprivation such as health, education,living standards, income, disempowerment, quality of work and threat
from violence.

Top and Bottom MPI districts in Tamil Nadu

S.No Top 5 Districts Rank Bottom 5 Districts Rank
1 Kancheepuram 1 Dharmapuri 32
2 Chennai 2 Perambur 31
3 Cuddalore 3 Ramanathapuram 30
4 Coimbatore 4 Virudhunagar 29
5 Nagapattinam 5 Ariyalur 28

Nutrition and Health Status:

 To address these concerns, the Central and state governments have been channellising substantial
resources into various health and nutrition schemes and programmes like Integrated Child Development
Services (ICDS), mid-day meals, Reproductive and Child Health Programmes (RCH) and National Rural

Health Mission (NRHM):

 The performance of the ICDS scheme and the Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Nutritious Meal Programme
(PTMGRNMP) in Tamil Nadu are considered one of the best in the country.
 The Government of Tamil Nadu's policy for "A Malnutrition Free Tamil Nadu" guides the state's long-term
multi-sectoral strategy for eliminating malnutrition.
 The goal is "reducing human malnutrition of all types to the levels of best performing countries".
 To ensure that services reach the intended beneficiaries, the programme has been universalised and
convergence promoted with allied departments dealing with health, education, drinking water, sanitation etc.

More to Know:
1. Some Nutrition Programmes in Tamil Nadu:
Purachi Thalaivar M.G.R. Nutrition Meal Programme:
 It is being implemented in the rural areas from 1 July 1982 and in urban areas for the school students from
1984, old age pensioners from 1983 and for pregnant women from 1995.
National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education
General ICDS Projects and World Bank Assisted Integrated Child Development Services:
 The services started in 1991 in 318 blocks covering 24districts. In 1999 this extended to 318 rural blocks
and 19,500 centres.
Pradhan Manthri Gramodaya Yojana Scheme (PMGYS):
 In this scheme, nutrition supplementation in the form of weaning food is given to children in the age group
of 6 months to 36 months in the unreached hamlets.
Tamil Nadu Integrated Nutrition Programme:
 This project was started in 1980 targeting at 6 to 36 months old children and pregnant and lactating women.
Mid-Day Meal Programme:
 This programme has been introduced for children between ages 2 and 14 attending balwadis or schools at
the expense of ` 0.90 per beneficiary. This programme covered 5.57 crore children in 4,426 blocks.

2. Important ongoing Schemes in Tamil Nadu:

 Under Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme, financial assistance to the tune of ` 12,000 is
being disbursed to poor pregnant women with the aim of meeting expenses on nutritious diet, to
compensate for loss of income during the delivery period and to avoid low birth weight of new born babies
in three installments to those availing antenatal care, delivering and immunising the babies born in
government institutions.
 The Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme was launched in the state in 2011-12 with
the aim to provide Universal Healthcare to All by providing free medical and surgical treatment in
Government and private hospitals to any family whose annual income is less than ` 72,000 by meeting all
expenses relating to the hospitalisation of the beneficiary.
 Tamil Nadu Health Systems Projects (TNHSP) has launched ambulance services free of cost (The 108
Emergency Ambulance Service).
 The School Health Programme mainly emphasises on providing comprehensive healthcare services to all
students studying in Government and Government-aided schools.
 The National Leprosy Eradication programme is being implemented in the state with the aim to detect and
to provide sustained regular treatment to all leprosy patients.

3. Boosting peer group engagement:

 Efforts will be made to strengthen the 'Padhumaiyar Kuzhu' for empowering girls and making them
persuasive catalysts of change
 Innovative approaches will be considered for drawing adolescent girls into the programme, connecting t
hem with various services and encouraging their participation in activities. A mobile centre was rolled for
widening the reach of services in nine districts
 Distribution and monitoring of the 'Padhumaiyar card' will be further strengthened

4. TN commitment on Nutrition:
 Amartya Sen, Noble Prize winning Economist, has observed that in India, hunger is not enough of a
political priority.
 The public expenditure on health is very low and funds allocated to programmes like child nutrition remain
unspent.
 It is only in States like Tamil Nadu that he sees a political will and commitment to tackle these issues by
setting goals like achieving the status of a "Malnutrition Free State".

5. Purchasing Power Parity (PPP):

 A concept related to purchasing power is purchasing price parity (PPP). PPP is an economic theory that
estimates the amount that needs to be adjusted to the price of an item, given exchange rates of the two
countries, in order for the exchange to match each currency's purchasing power.
 PPP can be used to compare countries income levels and other relevant economic data concerning the cost
of living, or possible rates of inflation and deflation.
 Recently, India became the third largest economy in terms of PPP. China became the largest economy,
pushing the US to the second position.

6. Fair Price Shops:

 At present, 33,222 Fair Price Shops are serving 1.98 crore families. Out of 33,222 Fair Price shops, 31,232
are run by the cooperative societies, 1,394 are run by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and 596
are run by women self-help groups.
 To improve accessibility to PDS, it is necessary that they are located in close proximity to habitations.
 Accordingly, it has been proposed to open new fair price shops so that, no card holder walks more than 1.5
km.

7. National Food Security Act in Tamil Nadu:

 On 1 November 2016, Tamil Nadu became the last state in the country to implement the National Food
Security Act after holding out for three years.
 In a government order issued on 27 October, the state specified that while it was enforcing the law, it
would be modifying its provisions

8. Bio Metric Smart Family Cards:

 The Government of Tamil Nadu has declared that SMART family cards will be issued in lieu of existing
family cards.
 It has also been mentioned that the Director of Census Operations under the National Population Registry
is conducting bio-metric capturing of 10 fingerprints, two iris and face scan of citizens to issue Unique
Identification Number.
 After completion of this process of bio-metric capturing, it has been proposed to adopt this data to issue
bio-metric SMART family cards.
 The advantage is that since it is based on unique identity, the data duplication of members and bogus cards
can be eliminated.

9. Buffer Stock:
 Buffer stock is the stock of food grains, namely wheat and rice, procured by the government through the
Food Corporation of India (FCI).
 The FCI purchases wheat and rice from the farmers in states where there is surplus production. The
farmers are paid a pre-announced price for their crops. This price is called Minimum Support Price (MSP).
 The MSP is declared by the government every year before the sowing season to provide incentives to
farmers for raising the production of these crops.
 The purchased foodgrains are stored in granaries. Buffer stock is done to distribute foodgrains in the deficit
areas and among the poorer strata of the society at a price lower than the market price also known as the
Issue Price.
 This also helps resolve the problem of shortage of food during adverse weather conditions or during the
periods of calamity.

10. Minimum Support Price

 Minimum Support Price is a price fixed by an expert group for a particular crop by considering various
costs involved in the cultivation of that crop.
 After announcing the MSP, the State will open procurement centres in places where these crops are
widely grown.
 However, the farmers are free to sell in the open market if they get a better price for their crop produce.
 On the other hand, if the open market price is lower than the MSP, the farmers would get an assured price
(the MSP) by selling their produce to the FCI.
 Thus, with the implementation of MSP farmers are certain about the price they would get at the end of the
crop season. Further, farmers also get insulated against any price crash during the harvest season.
 Economics
Food Security and Nurtition_Exercise
I. Choose the correct answer.
7. __________ is the process of providing or
1. __________ of food is physical availability of food obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.
stocks in desired quantities, which is a function of
domestic production, changes in stocks and imports. (1) Health (2) Nutrition
(1) Availability of food (2) Access to food (3) Sanitation (4) Security
(3) Absorption of food (4) None Ans. 2
Ans. 1 8. Tamil Nadu Integrated Nutrition Programme was
started in __________.
2. Buffer stock is the stock of food grains, namely
wheat and rice, procured by the government (1) 1980 (2) 1975
through the __________ (3) 1955 (4) 1985
(1) FCI Ans. 1
(2) Consumer Cooperatives 9. __________ status is one of the indicators of the
(3) ICICI overall well-being of population and human
resources development.
(4) IFCI
(1) Health (2) Nutritional
Ans. 1
(3) Economic (4) Wealth
3. Which is correct?
Ans. 1
(i) HYV-High Yielding Varieties
10. Tamil Nadu Health System Projects has launched
(ii) MSP-Minimum Support Price __________ service at free of cost.
(iii) PDS-Public Distribution System (1) 106 ambulance (2) 108 ambulance
(iv) FGi-Food Corporation of India (3) 107 ambulance (4) 105 ambulance
(1) (i) and (ii) are correct Ans. 2
(2) (iii) and (iv) are correct II. Choose the correct statement
(3) (ii) and (iii) are correct 11. Assertion (A): Purchasing power increases, price
(4) all are correct decreases and vice versa.
Ans. 4 Reason (R): The production of goods decline, the
4. __________ extended assistance through its price of goods increases and then the purchasing
Public Law 480. power is affected.
(1) United States of America (1) A is correct, R is false
(2) India (2) Both A and R are false statements
(3) Singapore (3) A is correct but R is not a correct explanation
(4) UK (4) A is correct, R is the correct explanation of A
Ans. 1 Ans. 4
5. __________ revolution was born in India paving
way for self sufficiency in food grain production. III. Fill in the blanks
(1) Blue Revolution (2) White Revolution 12. __________ foundation from USA introduced
(3) Green Revolution (4) Grey Revolution HYV in India.
Ans. 3 Ans. Ford
6. __________ is the only state in India to adopt 13. __________ is an important indicator of nutrition
universal PDS. deficiency.
(1) Kerala (2) Andhra Pradesh Ans. Underweight
(3) Tamil Nadu (4) Karnataka 14. In the year __________ National Food Security
Ans. 3 Act was passed by the Indian Parliament.
Ans. 2013
15. __________ play an important role in the supply 20. What was the Green Revolution?
of quality goods at reasonable rates to common (1) The term refers to the use of plant
people. residues ('green manure') for fertiliser.
Ans. Consumer co-operatives (2) It is a reference to the 1992 UN
16. __________ is the value of currency expressed Conference on Environment and
in terms of the amount of goods and services that Development.
one unit of money can buy. (3) It refers to the appointment of Green
Ans. Purchasing Power Party ministers in Germany's coalition
governments between 1998 and 2005.
ADITIONAL PROBLEMS (4) It refers to the widespread adoption of
high-yielding cereal crop varieties by
I. Choose the correct answer. farmers in many developing countries
17. Since the 1996 World Food Summit, how has the starting in the mid-1960s.
number of food insecure people in the world Ans. 4
changed?
21. Are most developing-country farmers engaged in
(1) The Summit's goal of cutting the number of subsistence or commercial production?
hungry people in half by 2015 was achieved.
(1) Almost all are subsistence farmers.
(2) The number decreased, but not by nearly
(2) Very few engage in subsistence
enough to meet the Summit's goal.
production, instead selling almost all of their
(3) The number increased slightly. produce on the market.
(4) Because of rising food prices, the number (3) Virtually all small-scale producers are
increased dramatically. engage in some self-provisioning and market
Ans. 2 sales.
18. What is food security? (4) 37% engage in pure subsistence production.
(1) It relates to efforts to prevent terrorists from Ans. 3
poisoning food supplies. 22. What role do women play in food security?
(2) It is about ensuring everyone's access to (1) Their main role is preparing meals.
food.
(2) They play a central role as producers of food,
(3) Its component elements include availability, managers of natural resources, income
utilisation, and stability, as well as access. earners and caretakers of household
(4) Food security focuses primarily on ending nutrition.
micronutrient malnutrition. (3) They weed the fields, but never plough or
Ans. 3 plant them, as only men are strong enough
19. Was T.R. Malthus correct in concluding that for those activities.
population growth will outstrip food production (4) Their efforts focus mainly on vegetable
growth? gardens and chickens; men are involved with
(1) No, technological and institutional innovations cereal crops and larger livestock.
have permitted food supplies to more than Ans. 2
keep pace with population growth.
(2) Yes, it is only because of widespread
famines that population has not overwhelmed
food supplies altogether.
(3) No, but it is only because of the introduction
of genetically modified food that supplies
have kept pace with population growth.
(4) No, but supplies are not likely to keep pace
with population growth over the next 10
years.
Ans. 1
23. How will climate change affect future food 26. What are entitlements to food?
security? (1) The term refers to social welfare
(1) It will have negative impacts in most programmes, e.g. the Fair Price food shops
developing countries because of the in India.
increased frequency of droughts, storms and (2) It means the pathways through which people
floods. access food, whether by production,
(2) The impact will be positive, because drier purchase, social protection programmes or
weather will mean less habitat for malaria other means.
mosquitoes, so fewer workers will be sick at (3) When countries enact right-to-food
harvest time. legislation, then people are entitled to food.
(3) The impact will be positive because there (4) The term is a reference to agrarian reform
will be more carbon dioxide available for programmes that provide farmers with land
plant photosynthesis. titles.
(4) There currently is no scientific consensus as Ans. 2
to whether climate change is occurring or
27. What are the effects of globalisation on food
whether it will over the next 50 years.
security?
Ans. 1
(1) Wealthy countries subsidies and trade
24. What difference will urbanisation make for barriers make it difficult for developing
hunger and malnutrition? countries to take advantage of the potential
(1) No significant difference; low-income urban of globalisation for advancing food security.
and rural people face similar constraints in (2) World Trade Organisation rules do not cover
accessing food and consume similar diets in agriculture, so globalisation really has no
developing countries. bearing on food security.
(2) It will reduce poverty and hunger because (3) Supermarkets are so far the only way in
these are almost entirely concentrated in which food and agriculture have experienced
rural areas. globalisation.
(3) Urban dwellers depend more than rural (4) Developing countries need to create publicly-
people on purchases to acquire food, have owned food reserves in order to realise the
little opportunity to grow their own food, and potential benefits.
so are much more vulnerable to food price
Ans. 1
increases.
28. How does agricultural research help reduce
(4) Poor city folk eat mainly sorghum, millet,
hunger and poverty?
maize and root crops, so a lot more of those
foods will need to be produced as the world (1) Transnational private-sector firms are the
urbanises. main source of research oriented towards
poor farmers and consumers.
Ans. 3
(2) Agricultural research mainly benefits
25. What caused the food-price spike of 2007-2008?
commercial farmers in developed countries.
(1) Long-term neglect of agricultural and rural
(3) Research focused on the problems of poor
development caused the spike.
farmers and consumers is a 'public good'
(2) The use of food crops to produce biofuel with little profit potential but high social
caused food prices to rise. benefits; public investment is needed to
(3) It was caused by commodity price support it.
speculation. (4) Pro-poor research should only focus on
(4) All of the above were among the causes. organic farming.
Ans. 4 Ans. 3
29. Consider the following statements regarding the 32. Consider the following statements regarding the
Minimum Support Price policy of Indian Economic Cost of Food grains:
Government: I. The economic cost of food grains consists of
I. The Government of India started announcing three components, namely the MSP (and
the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) in 1966- bonus if applicable) as the price paid to the
67 for wheat which was expanded to cover farmers, procurement incidentals, and the
many more crops in the coming years in the cost of distribution.
wake of the Green Revolution. II. The economic cost for both wheat and rice
II. It is a minimum price at which the witnessed significant increase during the last
government will purchase farmers' crops- few years due to increase in MSPs and
whatever may be the market price for the proportionate increase in the incidentals
crops. between the period 2002-03 and 2010-11.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are Which of the following statement(s) is/are
correct? correct?
(1) Only I (2) Only II (1) Only I (2) Only II
(3) Both I and II (4) Neither I nor II (3) Both I and II (4) Neither I nor II
Ans. 3 Ans. 3
30. Consider the following statements regarding the 33. Consider the following statements regarding the
Issue price: Decentralised Procurement Scheme of the
I. The price at which the food grains are Government:
allowed by the government to off take from I. The decentralised procurement scheme of
the FCI-this is the price at which the FCI the Government of India that is in operation
sells its food grains. since 1997 has evoked good response from
II. The government-procured food grains are the State Governments.
stored temporarily in the concerned states of II. Under this scheme, the designated States
their purchase and then transported to their procure, store and also issue food grains
decided FCI godowns as part of the buffer under TPDS.
stock. III. The difference between the economic cost
Which of the following statement(s) is/are of the State Governments and the central
correct? issue price (CIP) is passed on to the State
(1) Only I (2) Only II Governments as subsidy.
(3) Both I and II (4) Neither I nor II 34. Which of the following statement(s) is/are
correct?
Ans. 3
(1) Only I (2) I and II
31. Consider the following statements regarding the
policy of maintaining a minimum reserve of food (3) I and III (4) All of the above
grains in India: Ans. 4
I. India has a policy of maintaining a minimum 35. Consider the following statements regarding the
reserve of food grains (only for wheat and food security system in India:
rice) so that food is available throughout the
country at affordable prices round the year.
II. The main supply from here goes to the public
distribution system (now TPDS) and at times
goes to the open market to check the rising
prices if neede(4)
III. As per the current Buffer Stocking Policy of
food grains, the minimum stocks on different
dates are required to be mentione(4)
Which of the following statement(s) is/are
correct?
(1) Only I (2) I and II
(3) I and III (4) All of the above
Ans. 4
 I. Provision of minimum nutritional support to
the poor through subsidised food grains and
ensuring price stability in different states are
the twin objectives of the food security
system.
II. In fulfilling its obligation towards distributive
justice, the government incurs food subsidy.
III. The government continues to provide large
and growing amounts of subsidy on food
grains for distribution under the TPDS, other
nutrition-based welfare schemes, and open
market operations.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are
correct?
(1) Only I (2) I and II
(3) I and III (4) All of the above
Ans. 4
36. Consider the following statements regarding the
Food Security Bill:
I. The National Food Security Bill was
introduced in the Lok Sabha on 22
December, 2011 proposed to provide 7 kg. of
food grains per person per month belonging
to priority households at prices not exceeding
Rs. 3 per kg of rice, Rs. 2 per kg of wheat,
and Rs. 1 per kg of coarse grains.
II. It will benefit up to 100 per cent of rural
population (with at least 46 per cent
belonging to priority households) and up to 50
per cent of urban population (with at least 28
per cent belonging to priority households),
besides providing nutritional support to
women and children and meals to special
groups such as destitute and homeless.
III. In case of non-supply of food grains or
meals, entitled persons will be provided food
security allowance by the concerned state/
UT governments.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are
correct?
(1) Only I (2) I and II
(3) I and III (4) All of the above
Ans. 4