In the 2021 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 101st out of the 116 countries

Today is World Food Day and while we are celebrating the same, there's also the Global Hunger Index released for 2021, which ranks India at 101 out of 116 countries. This also coincides with the celebration of 75 years of Independence of the country. Lets first understand what the report states for India.

In the 2021 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 101st out of the 116 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2021 GHI scores. With a score of 27.5, India has a level of hunger that is serious.

Since 2000, India has made substantial progress, but there are still areas of concern, particularly regarding child nutrition. India’s GHI score has decreased from a 2000 GHI score of 38.8 points—considered alarming—to a 2021 GHI score of 27.5—considered serious. The proportion of undernourished in the population and the under-five child mortality rate are now at relatively low levels. While child stunting has seen a significant decrease—from 54.2 percent in 1998–1999 to 34.7 percent in 2016–2018—it is still considered very high. At 17.3 percent—according to the latest data—India has the highest child wasting rate of all countries covered in the GHI. This rate is slightly higher than it was in 1998–1999, when it was 17.1 percent.

With such a diverse food situation, ample production of food (India is either the top or amongst the top 2-3 producers in major food products like Milk, Rice, Wheat, Sugar, Banana, Mango, Onion, Potato, Jute, Millets, etc.) and enough food stocks around the country, it seems weird as to what ails the country in nutrition.

I have written numerous posts on scary nutrition situation in the country, especially highlighting the over-dependence on coarse grains and lower consumption of proteins, insufficient production of oilseeds and pulses leading to higher prices & hence lower consumption, less attention provided to the health of kids & youth, especially girls, etc. As a nation, we need to focus on these issues to alter our nutrition scenario, else we are wasting our future in form of kids health!