PANCHMAHAL:ARTHIK STHITI NABALI DHARAVATA BALAKONE SWAICHIK RATION KIT APTI SHALAO
Food security, as defined by the World Food Summit (WFS) and the Food and Agricultural Organization, ‘exists when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary and food preferences for an active life1’. Food security is also linked with a host of other factors, such as, socio-economic development, human rights and the environment. It has political ramifications as well. For instance, the price rise of various foods, such as onions and sugar, was a major issue during the general elections of 2014 in the capital. Therefore, a rise in food prices is bound to have consequences which cannot just be restricted to hunger and malnutrition, but it can also result in increasing health care expenditure and a greater economic burden on the citizens. Poor health and nutrition would also have an adverse impact on education, as children would be forced to stay away from schools. In fragile political and security situations, rising food prices can also trigger unrest and protest, and contribute to conflict.
The serious concerns related to food security in the developing countries have assumed global proportions in the last few years, with a need for urgent action. Henry Kissinger is reported to have declared, at the first World Food Summit, held in 1974, that in 10 years no child would suffer from malnutrition.2 He was, unfortunately, way off the mark in his prediction. The 1996 World Food Summit (WFS) in Rome had pledged ‘…to eradicate hunger in all countries, with an immediate view of reducing the number of undernourished people to half their present level no later than 2015.’3 Further, the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), established in the year 2000 by the UN, had included the target of ‘cutting by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015.’ Progress towards meeting this MDG target (Target 1c) is assessed not only by measuring under-nourishment or hunger, but also by a second indicator, i.e. the prevalence of underweight children below the age of five.4
The serious concerns related to food security in the developing countries have assumed global proportions in the last few years, with a need for urgent action. Henry Kissinger is reported to have declared, at the first World Food Summit, held in 1974, that in 10 years no child would suffer from malnutrition.2 He was, unfortunately, way off the mark in his prediction. The 1996 World Food Summit (WFS) in Rome had pledged ‘…to eradicate hunger in all countries, with an immediate view of reducing the number of undernourished people to half their present level no later than 2015.’3 Further, the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), established in the year 2000 by the UN, had included the target of ‘cutting by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015.’ Progress towards meeting this MDG target (Target 1c) is assessed not only by measuring under-nourishment or hunger, but also by a second indicator, i.e. the prevalence of underweight children below the age of five.4
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