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India and Sustainable Development Goal 2
India is home to a quarter of the global hunger burden. Women and children account for a major part of the country’s population who don’t have access to proper nutrition. India is home to half of the wasted children globally. The country is also home to the highest number of SAM (Severe Acute Malnutrition) children in the world with 9.3 million children below the age of 5 severely wasted.
Phase-I results of the latest National Family Health Survey (2019-20) based on the data collected in the pre-pandemic era have revealed that almost a quarter of women of reproductive age are undernourished, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 18.5 kg/m (National Family Health Survey 5, 2019-20). Nearly 32% of children are chronically malnourished (stunted) and 18.1% are acutely malnourished (wasted).
India prides itself with one of the largest food safety nets in the world, anchored through the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013. The NFSA is being implemented for addressing the availability, accessibility, and affordability dimensions of food security. The Scheme covers around 800 million people, about 67% of the country’s population. In addition, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) aims at addressing nutrition security of under-6 children, lactating mothers, and pregnant women. The National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in Schools aims to provide nutritious meals to children in primary schools. Under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, families with an income of less than Rs. 250 per capita per month are entitled to 35 kg. rice at a subsidized rate. Improving the effectiveness of these programs will be central to improving the food and nutrition security situation in the country.
Resource Library
Hunger & Malnutrition
UN.org
Official news and updates for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2 focused on the eradication of hunger and malnutrition from the world by 2030.
NITI Aayog on SDG 2
A status report tracking India’s progress across the 17 SDGs by NITI Ayog, the institution overseeing implementation of SDGs in the country.
Government of India: Schemes for Nutrition, Food Security, Women & Child welfare
POSHAN Abhiyan
Govt. of India’s flagship umbrella programme which integrates all schemes targeted at improving nutritional outcomes for children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) by MoWCD
The Government of India’s Integrated Child Development Scheme, under the Ministry for Women and Child Development, is one of the world’s largest programmes dedicated to early childhood care and development. Read the report here.
Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) by MoWCD
The Government of India’s Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), under the Ministry for Women and Child Development, is a centrally sponsored scheme aimed at building a protective environment for children in difficult circumstances, as well as other vulnerable children, through Government-Civil Society Partnership. Read the report here
Targeted Public Distribution System
The Targeted Public Distribution System in India was launched by the Government in 1997, under which the States are required identify and distribute food grains to the poor in an effective and transparent manner via fair-price shops. The scheme is managed by the Dept. of Food & Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. Read the report here.
Scheme for Adolescent Girls
A listing of various ongoing schemes of Government of India aimed at benefiting health and lifeskills of adolescent girls across India, under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Information & Analysis on Hunger & Malnutrition in India
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WFP reports on India:
A repository of field, project and status reports from Un World Food Programme on food security in India. Read more.
Niti Aayog on SDG 2
A status report tracking India’s progress across the 17 SDGs by Niti Ayog, the institution overseeing implementation of SDGs in the country.
FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2020. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020. Transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets. Rome, FAO.
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020. Transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets.
A flagship publication that tracks the status and progress of UN Member Nations efforts under SDG 2: Zero Hunger. Read here.
World Health Organisation (WHO) - India:
World Health Organisation’s (WHO) India country page for public health statistics, including the current status of COVID-19 in the country. Read here.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) - India:
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is a specialized agency of the United Nations directing an international response to global food shortages. Read here.
National Family Health Survey (NFHS):
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a large-scale survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. It aims to provide insight and develop a database of information for India on fertility, infant and child mortality, the practice of family planning, maternal and child health, reproductive health, nutrition, anaemia, utilization and quality of health and family planning services. Read here.
Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS):
The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS), is the first ever nationally representative nutrition survey of children and adolescents in India, released in 2019 as a joint effort of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India; UNICEF; and Population Council.
DLHS:
The District Level Household & Facility Survey is deisgned by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to provide information on family planning, maternal and child health, reproductive health of ever married women and adolescent girls, utilization of maternal and child healthcare services at the district level for India. Read here.