UPSC Mains Relevance

[UPSC 2017] Hunger and Poverty are the biggest challenges for good governance in India still today. Evaluate how far successive governments have progressed in dealing with these humongous problems. Suggest measures for improvement.

Linkage: India’s recent success in reducing undernourishment by 30 million people and transforming its PDS shows definite progress in tackling hunger and poverty, aligning with welfare-driven governance. Yet, challenges of affordability, malnutrition, and nutrition security highlight that while gains are visible, deeper reforms in agrifood systems and social protection are still required.

Mentor’s Comment

The world is finally seeing a decline in hunger after years of setbacks. At the centre of this shift is India, whose food security programmes have reduced undernourishment at an unprecedented scale. For UPSC aspirants, this story reflects governance, technology, and welfare delivery working together.

Introduction

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 report shows undernourishment fell to 673 million people globally in 2024, down from 688 million in 2023. India has been decisive in this progress, reducing hunger for nearly 30 million people in just two years. The Public Distribution System (PDS) alone supports over 800 million beneficiaries with digital efficiency unmatched in scale. This progress stands in sharp contrast with the bleak COVID-era surge in hunger and makes India a global anchor in the journey towards SDG 2 – Zero Hunger.

India’s Pathway to Ending Hunger:

Transformation of the Public Distribution System (PDS)

Digital shift: Aadhaar-based targeting, real-time tracking, and biometric authentication improved delivery.
Portability: One Nation One Ration Card enabled migrants and vulnerable households to access entitlements anywhere.
Rapid Scale of support: Over 800 million people received subsidised food grains during the pandemic.

Shifting of Focus from Calories to Nutrition

High Cost of Healthy Diets: Over 60% of Indians cannot afford nutrient-rich foods due to inflation, poor cold chains, and weak market linkages.
Nutrition-Centric Schemes: PM POSHAN (2021) and ICDS are addressing dietary diversity and nutrition sensitivity.
Dual Challenge: Even as hunger declines, malnutrition, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies are rising.

Need for Agrifood System Structural Reforms

Boosting Production of Nutrient-Rich Foods: Pulses, fruits, vegetables, and animal products must be scaled for affordability.
Reducing Post-Harvest Losses: About 13% of food is lost between farm and market due to weak cold storage and logistics.
Supporting Women-Led Enterprises and Farmer Producer Organization: Promoting climate-resilient crops enhances both nutrition and livelihoods.

Digital governance drives agrifood transformation

AgriStack & e-NAM: Enhance planning, digital logistics, and market access for farmers.
Geospatial Tools: Enable better agricultural mapping and nutrition-sensitive targeting.
Data-Driven Agriculture: Improves service delivery and strengthens supply-demand alignment.

Why is India’s success globally significant?

Leadership in Global South: India’s digital and governance innovations can be replicated in developing nations.
Global SDGs: With only five years left for 2030 SDGs, India’s example shows that hunger reduction is possible with political will and smart investments.
Symbol of Hope: FAO calls India’s progress not just a national achievement but a contribution to global food security.

Conclusion

India’s recent performance marks a historic pivot in the fight against hunger. The country has shown that scale, digital governance, and targeted welfare can turn crisis into opportunity. Yet, the journey forward must emphasise nutrition, resilience, and inclusivity not just calories. If sustained, India will not only feed itself but also light the path for global hunger eradication.

Value Addition

Reports & Indices

State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 (SOFI Report) – Global undernourishment fell from 688 million (2023) to 673 million (2024); India reduced undernourishment from 14.3% to 12% (30 million fewer hungry people).
FAO Food Loss Report – Around 13% of food is lost between farm and market in India, affecting affordability.

SDG Linkage

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) – Ending hunger by 2030.
SDG 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing) – Tackling malnutrition, obesity, micronutrient deficiencies.
SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production) – Reducing food loss and wastage.

Keywords with UPSC Relevance

Calorie-to-Nutrition Shift – Moving beyond staple food security to nutrient-rich diets.
Hunger Paradox – Coexistence of undernourishment and obesity/micronutrient deficiency.

Examples for Enrichment in Answers

COVID-19 Response – India’s rapid PDS scale-up fed 800+ million people, one of the largest welfare interventions globally.
Digital Governance – ONORC portability cited as a global best practice by the World Bank and FAO.
Women-led FPOs – Strengthening climate-resilient crops while improving local nutrition outcomes.

Microtheme Mapping:

GS Paper I – Hunger and poverty, demographic vulnerabilities.
GS Paper II – Governance, digital welfare, social justice, schemes.
GS Paper III – Agrifood systems, logistics, cold chains, technology in agriculture.

Practice Mains MCQ

“India’s progress in food security has global significance. Discuss how India can move from hunger eradication to nutrition security.”

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