Day 44 – Q 2.What administrative and institutional measures can be taken to ensure food security in India? Discuss.
2. What administrative and institutional measures can be taken to ensure food security in India? Discuss.
भारत में खाद्य सुरक्षा सुनिश्चित करने के लिए कौन से प्रशासनिक और संस्थागत उपाय किए जा सकते हैं? चर्चा करें।
Approach:
- Introduction- Status of food security in India
- Administrative measures to ensure food security.
- Institutional measures to ensure food security.
- Steps already taken by the government.
- Conclusion
Introduction:
Food security, both at the national and household levels, has been the focus of agricultural development in India ever since the mid-sixties. Mounting pressure from growing population, adverse threats of climate change, fragmented landholding and high input cost are posing challenges in front of India’s food security. Food security has to be examined in terms of availability, accessibility, utilization and vulnerability.
Administrative measures to ensure food security:
- Implementing universal PDS (As per Swaminathan committee recommendations). Focusing on diversification of food basket.
- Focusing on moving up the ladder in value addition chain through mechnaisation, post-harvesting technologies, food fortification and agro-processing industries.
- Integrated water management- India needs to produce more crop per unit of land and water resources. Improved management of irrigation water is essential in enhancing production and productivity, food security and poverty alleviation. PMKSY thus becomes important in this regard.
- Integrated nutrient management through precision farming- Attention needs to be given to balanced use of nutrients.
- Improved technology adoption- Adoption of technologies like integrated nutrient management, integrated pest management, integrated weed management and climate smart agriculture to ensure higher production and sustainability of production base.
- Focusing on small farmers.
Institutional measures to ensure food security:
- Agricultural research education needs to be improved- Agricultural colleges and universities need to disseminate scientific knowledge and skills to the farming community and to train them to use such skills for better output.
- Improving the storage capacity of FCI.
- Restructuring APMC.
- Availing institutional credit- Regional Rural Banks and SHGs needs to be empowered further, so that they provide the farmers handholding support and capital during time of need.
Steps taken by the government:
- National Food Security Act, 2013
- ICDS, Mid-day meal scheme
- SABLA scheme for adolescent girls
Conclusion:
Achieving the goal of zero hunger under SDG Goal 2 by 2030 is possible with the above mentioned steps. The focus should be on ensuring availability and accessibility of diversified food.
Best answer: Aashiyana Sharma
