Poverty = Hunger
| Pathway | reason |
|---|
| Poverty → Hunger | low purchasing power |
| inadequate quantity / quality of food |
| undernutrition |
| Hunger → Poverty | malnutrition |
| poor cognitive developmnet |
| learning gaps / disabilities |
| lower lifetime earnings |
| inter generational povertty |
| In india, Multidimensional poverty fallen sharply, yet child undernutrition remains high | |
- access
- diet quality
- sanitation
- maternal health
- intra household allocation
- public health
Trends
| Indicator | 2015-16 | 2019-21 |
|---|
| MPI Headcount | 24.85% | 14.96% |
| MPI Intensity | 47.14% | 44.39% |
| MPI Value | 0.117 | 0.066 |
Why divergence in poverty & hunger
- food access = food availability
- household purchasing power, dietary diversity remain uneven
- income improvement first satisfied basic calorie need, not nutritional deprivation
- nutrition requies diet diversification, maternal health, sanitation, healthcare, behavioural change
- poor sanitation
- maternal nutrition poor (inter generational cycle)
- intra household inequality
- rising expenditure on non good essentials
- poor / non stable employment quality
Distribution of hunger
- rural have substantially worse nutritional outcomes
- high burden states: Meghalaya, Bihar, UP
- least: Puducherry, Sikkim
Paradox of Poverty
- poverty persists despite economic growth, productivity, sufficient resources
- WHY?: unequal distribution of assets, jobless growth, human capital deficit, social exclusion, relative poverty
Malnutrition
How to address malnutrition through targeted programs
- strengthen ICDS, mid day meal scheme, POSHAN abhiyan
- fortification of staples - rice, wheat, salt
- eg. FSSAI - initiative for fortified rice distribution in PDS
- Promoting maternal health
Hunger
- FAO: habitual / chronic consumption of too few calories for individual’s requirement of healthy & productive life
- Acute hunger: under-nourishment over definable period eg. during war, droughts
- Chronic: long term eg. during poverty
- Hidden: lack of important nutrients eg. Iron, iodine, zinc, vit A
Causes of Hunger
- poverty
- gender inequality
- poor governance
- eg. inconsistent food distribution
- unidentified hunger
- inaccurate classification of households w/ poor quality grains
- lack of maternal knowledge
- resource wastage, climate change
- hidden hunger
Consequences of Hunger prevalence
- malnutrition
- impaired physical, cognitive development
- weakened immune system
- higher disease risk
- Health problem
- anaemia, low birth weight
- Poverty
- education
- likely to miss school
- have poor concentration
- Social unrest
Food insecurity
- lack of access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food that meets individual’s dietary needs, preferences
- FAO: Good Insecurity Experience Scale
- food insecurity leads to hunger
Manifestation of malnutrition
Condition in which body isn’t receiving adequate nutrients, either in quantity or quality, to maintain proper health & functioning
- protein hunger
- micronutrient deficiency
- over nutrition
- under nutrition
Indicators for measuring hunger
Global Hunger Index
- indicators
- under nourishment
- child stunting
- child wasting
- child mortality
Other indicators
- State of Food Security & Nutrition in the World by FAO
- Global Food Security Index by Economist Intelligence Unit
- Food Insecurity Experience Scale by FAO
Initiatives to tackle hunger