A timely reality check on public policies in the developing world, the Global Hunger Index 2010, (GHI) released by the International Food Policy Research Institute, reveals the disturbing fact that the number of hungry people in the world hovers around the one-billion mark. Although this year's estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organisation place the figure at 925 million, barely a year ago, at the height of the recession, “the number of undernourished people crossed one billion.” The recent dip notwithstanding, the messages from the GHI are quite discomforting. For one, there is a striking divide between the haves and the have-nots of the world. Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are among the 29 that face either “extremely alarming” or “alarming” levels of hunger. Secondly, glittering economic growth rates do not mean a hunger-free nation; India, with its large economy and robust growth, is ranked among countries that face an “alarming” situation. Thirdly, nothing works like meaningful state-led intervention policies that directly address hunger; Brazil has improved its performance by more than 50 per cent between 1990 and 2010, thanks to effective state intervention.
The GHI rightly identifies the high prevalence of “child under-nutrition as a major contribution to persistent hunger”. Although past policies targeted children under the age of five, it is pointed out that the “window of opportunity” to improve nutrition is much shorter — the period spanning (-)9 months to (+)24 months (from conception to the second birthday). This observation should lead to a reordering of public policies to ensure that this crucial period is not missed out. At a wider level, malnutrition is a consequence of multiple deprivations that call for action on related issues as well. For instance, a study earlier this year by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative showed that while 38.9 per cent of the poor in India were undernourished, they encountered severe deprivations in respect of other critical and related indicators as well: cooking fuel (52.2 per cent), drinking water (12 per cent) and sanitation (49.3 per cent). Malnutrition cannot be tackled effectively as a stand-alone issue and what is needed is a comprehensive policy that addresses multiple deprivations. In addition, there is evidence from Brazil that well-conceived conditional cash transfer schemes help in reducing hunger. India must fine-tune its social sector programmes, including the conditional cash transfer schemes, to wage a successful battle against hunger.
Keywords: Food and Agriculture Organisation, poverty alleviation, global hunger, International Food Policy Research Institute
At last the government has accepted its liability to its citizen and the right to live includes the right to food as well. Now the government has to act fast to implement it and be firm in its approach. But we can not ignore that the fact that the number of undernourished in India is more than those in Sub Sahara and one of the main cause is "population". Provide the people the food but now temper it with conditions like population control. For the people may not understand but they must understand that they owe a duty to the nation as well.
Enough has been said and done about policies and laws that would boost the economy and benefit the poor indirectly. But it is apparent that the poor are getting little tangible benefits.Strict policy making,Draconian laws and pro-poor governance must be implemented on a war-footing to end this menace.
Despite the picture coming out from the world that India will become most powerful nation by 2025 the deveploment of any country largly depends upon it's overall deveploment. It should not confined only to growth rate and infrastructural development. In India poverty rate is very high, people are not getting proper food, corruption is widespread, children are not getting proper education. Deveploment of the whole people is the real deveploment.
Brazil's conditional cash transfer programme provides cash allowance to poor families subject to fulfilling some conditions which abide them to send their children to school for education and also the children have to be vaccinated.This programme is called Balsa Familia and it is the largest programme of its kind in the world.Children in the public schools get free meals. Therefore the family spends less on food from the family income. It is reported that majority are eating better and income of the poor families is increased by about 25%.
It's very painful to see this alarming number of hungry people in country like ours whose growth rate has became headlines and talking point in international media.As rightly pointed that hunger cannot be addressed separately it has close connection with denial of other basic facilities like access to water,fuel and sanitation.But when we see the larger picture poor governance emerge out as major reason for under development thats why despite being good most of the programme like PDS,MNRGEA and other welfare schemes are failing because they lacks governence which has four aspect implementation,participation,transperency,and accountblity we need to address that.
Its heart breaking to hear that India is one among the hunger prevalent countries considering the current economic strength of the nation. Apparently, the so called "economic prosperity" is no way helping the poor considering the fact that only rich people or "burgeosis" are able to capitalize on the fruits of economic streghts that are eventually turning into personal and financial stenghts of burgeosis. Since from first day of independence, we have been implementing many policies to foster the poor, but it is hard to find the results of implemention - for that matter atleast a trace of a change to understand there was an attempt to develop the poor.
Please Email the Editor