In News
- Recently, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) released a report on climate change and food systems.
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About International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
- The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.
- Established in 1975, IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 50 countries.
- It is a research centre of CGIAR, a worldwide partnership engaged in agricultural research for development.
- Vision and Mission: IFPRI’s vision is a world free of hunger and malnutrition.
- Its mission is to provide research-based policy solutions that sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition.
- Strategic research areas
- Fostering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Supply
- Promoting Healthy Diets and Nutrition for All
- Building Inclusive and Efficient Markets, Trade Systems, and Food Industry
- Transforming Agricultural and Rural Economies
- Strengthening Institutions and Governance
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Major Highlights of the Report
- India’s food production could drop 16% and the number of those at risk for hunger could increase 23% by 2030 due to climate change.
- The number of Indians at risk from hunger in 2030 is expected to be 73.9 million in 2030 and it would increase to 90.6 million eventually.
- The aggregate food production index would, under similar conditions, drop from 1.6 to 1.5.
- Average calorie consumption: Climate change will not impact the average calorie consumption of Indians and this is projected to remain roughly the same at 2,600 kcal per capita per day by 2030 even in a climate change scenario.
- Growth in food production: Baseline projections indicate that global food production will grow by about 60% over 2010 levels by 2050 in the context of climate change.
- Production and demand are projected to grow more rapidly in developing countries, particularly in Africa, than in developed countries, due to projected growth in population and incomes.
- Higher-value foods: Diets are also shifting toward higher-value foods, including more fruits and vegetables, processed foods, and animal-source foods, outside of high-income countries.
- Meat production is projected to double in South Asia and West and Central Africa by 2030 and triple by 2050.
- Per capita consumption levels: Despite this growth, per capita consumption levels in developing countries will remain less than half of those in developed countries.
- The demand for processed foods also shows up in the growing production of oil crops: by 2050 production is expected to more than double in Southeast Asia and West and Central Africa.
- Production of fruit and vegetables is projected to grow more than double in most regions (Central and West Asia and North Africa; East and Southern Africa; and West and Central Africa) by 2050.
- Average dietary energy consumption is projected to increase by about 10% globally to more than 3,000 kcal per capita per day.
- Regional differences in access to food mean that nearly 500 million people are projected to remain at risk of going hungry.
- Globally, about 70 million more people will be at risk from hunger because of climate change, including more than 28 million in East and Southern Africa.
- The average temperature across India is projected to rise by between 2.4°C and 4.4°C by 2100.
- Similarly, summer heatwaves are projected to triple by 2100 in India and increase at the rate of 0.71 days per decade in Pakistan.
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IMPACT
- It is a model that simulates national and international agricultural markets.
- It was developed with inputs from scientists from the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR) and other leading global economic modelling efforts.
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India’s Step in Ensuring Food Security
- National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013:
- It was enacted in July 2013 which gives legal entitlement to 67% of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas) to receive highly subsidised foodgrains.
- National Food Security Mission:
- It was launched in 2007-08 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
- It focuses on the sustainable increase in the production of targeted crops through area expansion and productivity enhancement.
- PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY):
- The Department of Food & Public Distribution started the implementation of “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)” for three months i.e. April, May and June 2020 and had been extended for five more months.
- It is a scheme as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat to supply free food grains to migrants and the poor.
- Under the scheme, five kgs of wheat or rice and one kg of pulses per month will be given free of cost to the poor.
- It aimed to ensure sufficient foods for the poor and needy amid the coronavirus crisis.
- One Nation One Ration Card:
- It was rolled out by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in 2019 in 4 states on a pilot basis.
- Aim: To ensure hassle-free delivery of subsidised food grains to all migratory beneficiaries anywhere in the country through nationwide portability under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
- To empower all National Food Security Act migrant beneficiaries to access foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice anywhere in the country by using their same/existing ration card with biometric authentication.
- Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi:
- It is a Central Sector Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme.
- It was launched in February 2019 (made effective from December 2018) to give income support to farmers.
- The scheme is meant to aid farmers partially to meet the expenses on fertilisers and seeds before the sowing season.
- The financial assistance of Rs. 6000 per annum is provided to all landholding farmer families across the country, subject to certain exclusion criteria relating to higher income strata, e.g. all Institutional Landholders.
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Source: TH
