For 55 years during1951-2005, there was a megre increase of just 5.5% in per capita availability of food grains per day.
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Changes in the Per Capita Net Availability of Foodgrain per day
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Decade Average (grams per capita per day)
1951 – 1960 430
1961 – 1970 448
1971 – 1980 442
1981 – 1990 464
1991 – 2000 475
2001 – 2005 454
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• Almost 40 per cent of children under three are underweight and 45 per cent are stunted.
• 22 to 30 per cent children are born with low birth weight.
• 36 per cent adult women and 34 per cent adult men suffer from chronic energy deficiency.
• The National Family Health Surveys show a marginal increase in anaemia from 74 per cent to 79 per cent in children under five and 52 per cent to 56 per cent in young women.
• Iodine deficiency disorders, vitamin A and vitamin B deficiency are fairly rampant.
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The data on area, production and yield of foodgrain in India presented show a pattern of clear deceleration in the rate of growth of foodgrain output through the 1990s, followed by stagnation.
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Decline in per capita consumption of cereals
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The NSSO data reveal that the per capita consumption of cereals has been declining since the early 1970s. Between 1972 – 73 and 2004 – 05, the share of cereals in total consumer expenditure reportedly fell from 41 per cent to 18 per cent in rural areas and 23 per cent to 10 per cent in urban. The per capita monthly consumption of cereals declined between 1993 – 94 and 2004 – 05 from 13.4 kg to 12.1 kg (9.7 per cent) in rural areas and from 10.6 kg to 9.9 kg (6.6 per cent) in urban India.
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Some argue that declining demand for cereals is due to dietary diversification.An alternative view is that declining demand for foodgrain is due to loss of purchasing power by the poor largely due to deteriorating livelihood security. This view is consistent with the view that declining demand for foodgrain is due to rising foodgrain prices consequent to the adoption of Liberalisation Policies (SAPs) which involve deflationary macroeconomic policies and the opening up of the agricultural sector.
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| Kolkata Group urges for universal, justiciable food Security |
The Kolkata Group is an independent initiative inspired and chaired by Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen. Once a year, it brings together participants drawn from various fields to explore the many inter-connections between inequality, deprivation, human development, and democracy.
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The Eighth Kolkata Group Workshop, chaired by Professor Amartya Sen, was held in Kolkata on February 15-16, 2010.The theme this year was “Eliminating Injustice”. On the basis of extensive discussions on the exceptionally high levels of under-nutrition in India, particularly among women and children, the Kolkata Group argued for a firm recognition of the right to food in general and comprehensive legislation to guarantee the entitlements to food for all. |
The Kolkata Group argued for creating durable legal entitlements that guarantee the right to food in India. A Right to Food Act covering justiciable food entitlements should be non-discriminatory and universal. TH 170210
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Stagnant Food Production |
Area, Production and Yield of Food grain, 1991 – 92 to 2006 – 07 |
| Year |
Area (Mn Hct) |
Production(Mn Tons) |
Yield(Kg per Hct) |
| 1991-92 |
122 |
168 |
1382 |
| 1996-97 |
124 |
199 |
1614 |
| 2001-02 |
123 |
213 |
1734 |
| 2006-07 |
124 |
212 |
1707 |
| 2009-10 (Est.) |
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217 |
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Source: Agri Statistics at a glance
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Factors underlying the stagnation in foodgrain output |
Several factors have led to the observed decline in output growth and the subsequent decline in foodgrain availability.
The growth of foodgrain production during the 1970s and 1980s was largely due to efforts in raising the levels of technology used in agriculture through research and extension, investments in rural infrastructure and human capabilities, credit support, procurement at minimum support prices. |
| Decline in public investment |
Following the liberalization policies from the early 1990s, there has been a focus on expenditure reduction, resulting in decline in public investment in and other forms of support to the agricultural sector.
As against an average of 3.8 per cent of the country’s Net National Product (NNP) spent on rural development per year during the seventh
plan period 1985 – 90, the share of spending on rural development was down to 1.9 per cent of NNP in 2000 – 01 and rose only to 2.3 per cent in 2004 – 05 . |
If infrastructure expenditure (all spending on energy and transport including urban) is added, the corresponding figures are 11.1 per cent per year for 1985 – 90, 5.8 per cent in 2000 – 01 and 6.2 per cent in 2004 – 05. |
Patnaik estimates that in constant 1993 – 94 prices, about Rs 30,000 crore less was being spent by 1999 – 2000 compared to 1990 – 91.
As a result of the decline in public investment, expansion in irrigation, growth in input usage and technological improvement, have all slowed down during the 1990s. This is further compounded by low public investment on agricultural research. |
In terms of natural or environmental constraints, one of the most important constraints in recent years pertains to the availability of water.
The per capita availability of water has declined from 5000 m3 in the 1950s to 2000 m3 at the turn of this century. Agriculture accounts for 80 per cent of the water withdrawal and estimates suggest that the availability of water for agricultural use is likely to decline by 20 per cent by 2020. A major challenge therefore comes from the rain-fed ecosystem and the overexploitation of groundwater resources. This has been affecting the ecological balance of areas like Rajasthan and Gujarat and has serious implications for the production of irrigated crops.
Source: Report on the State of Food Insecurity in Rural India |
| KRSR/180210 |
