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World Food Day underscores the challenges of India’s food system, which caters to the world’s largest population.

Central idea

India, with its enormous population, faces unique challenges in ensuring a sustainable and resilient food system. This system must not only guarantee nutrition security but also provide reasonable economic returns for food producers while safeguarding the environment.

Nutrition Challenges:
Despite progress, a significant portion of the population still suffers from nutrient deficiencies.
The National Family Health Survey 2019-21 reports alarming statistics, with 35% of children being stunted, and 57% of women and 25% of men being anaemic.
Simultaneously, imbalanced diets and sedentary lifestyles have led to increasing rates of obesity, affecting 24% of adult women and 23% of adult men.
Livelihood Issues:
Farm incomes in India are inadequate to sustain marginal and small farmers.
Over 68% of marginal farmers supplement their income with non-farm activities, highlighting a lack of skills or opportunities for income diversification.
Environmental Vulnerabilities:
Depleting natural resources and changing climate patterns pose a significant threat to India’s food production.
Nearly half of India’s cultivable land is deficient in organic carbon, a critical indicator of soil health.
Groundwater, a primary source of irrigation, is rapidly depleting, particularly in states like Punjab.

Shifting Consumer Demand:
- Encourage a shift towards healthier and sustainable diets.
- Engage the private sector, civil society, and health community to promote locally-grown, nutritious foods.
- Leverage public sector touchpoints like the Public Distribution System, mid-day meals, and institutional procurement to improve the quality of food consumed by the majority.
Supporting Farmers:
- Promote the transition of farmers towards remunerative and regenerative agricultural practices.
- Increase funding for sustainable agriculture initiatives, such as the National Mission on Natural Farming.
- Shift from input subsidies to direct cash support per hectare to promote efficient input use.
Transforming Value Chains:
- Encourage middlemen and corporations to procure directly from farmers, prioritize sustainably harvested produce, and implement fair trade practices.
- Support young agri-tech enterprises facilitating farm-to-buyer linkages.
- Enable trading of produce between Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to ensure a fair share of value for farmers.

Transforming India’s food system is a formidable task, but the magnitude of the challenge should not deter our ambitions. By acting swiftly and strategically, India can set an example for the world in building a sustainable and resilient food system that ensures nutrition security, supports livelihoods, and protects the environment.