Are Hunger, Nutrition Part of India’s Development Agenda?

Newsreel Asia Insight #14
Oct. 15, 2023

While India is on a path to rapid economic growth and has a burgeoning technology sector, the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023 report has ranked India 111th among 125 countries in combating hunger and malnutrition. The country has slipped four positions compared to last year, with only 17 nations faring worse, among them Timor-Leste, Afghanistan and Somalia.

One of the most alarming details from the report is India’s child “wasting” rate – a low weight-for-height ratio. Child wasting is a measure of acute undernutrition in children due to insufficient food intake and/or poor absorption of nutrients.

Standing at 18.7%, India’s child wasting rate is the highest in the world. In numbers, that’s roughly 90 million children. In the GHI report, a rate of child wasting above 15% is categorised as a “very high” level of concern. Disturbingly, India stands alone in this category.

Moreover, childhood stunting—low height for age—is also a major issue. Over 35% of Indian children, about 168 million, have been marked as stunted, placing the nation again in the “very high” risk category. While some African and East Asian countries do fare worse on this parameter, India’s massive young population – about 480 million, as per the Government of India’s National Institute of Health – makes these statistics a concern for the world.

The GHI report also delved into broader issues of undernourishment, marking 16.6% of India’s overall population as undernourished—a “medium” risk category. However, a more specific and gendered issue is the prevalence of anaemia among young women. The report highlighted that more than 50% of women and adolescents in the country are anaemic, among the highest rates globally.

The Indian government’s response has been to reject the findings. On the same day the report was released, the government issued a statement criticising the methodology and questioning the selection of the parameters used in the report.

However, the GHI findings are not isolated. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2023 report presented a similar grim picture, as noted by The Wire. That report stated that 74.1% of the Indian population cannot afford a healthy diet. That’s higher than many other countries except Nepal, Pakistan, and a few African nations. The SOFI report also said that 233.9 million people in India are undernourished, defined as having insufficient food consumption to maintain a normal, active and healthy life.

While the focus is on the recent data, it’s crucial to consider historical context. India’s 2023 GHI score is 28.7, which is considered “serious.” However, it’s an improvement from its 2015 GHI score of 29.2 and shows progress from its scores of 38.4 and 35.5 in 2000 and 2008, respectively. But as other countries are also improving, the relative gains become less significant.

India has launched several programs like the National Food Security Act, Poshan Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission), PM Garib Kalyan Yojna and National Mission for Natural Farming. However, the high rates of child wasting and stunting indicate that much more needs to be done.

The GHI score is a composite measure reflecting multiple dimensions including poverty, governance and demographic conditions. Economic downturns, climate extremes and conflict can affect these scores, providing a comprehensive picture of a country’s social health. In India’s case, this suggests that tackling hunger and malnutrition is not merely a matter of food distribution but involves addressing systemic issues.

The GHI is a respected annual report published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe.

As India aspires to be a global power, questions about its commitment to basic human needs grow louder. The GHI and SOFI reports present a clear call to action. The Indian government’s dismissal of these statistics raises the question: are hunger and nutrition truly part of India’s development agenda? The data, for now, suggests otherwise.