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General Studies 2 >> REPORTS

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GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX 2024

GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX 2024

 
 
1. Context
 
The Global Hunger Index for 2024 states that a ‘serious’ level of hunger is prevalent in India. It ranks India 105th among 127 countries, giving it a score of 27.3. A score below 9.9 indicates low levels of hunger, 10-19.9 moderate, 35-49.9 alarming and above 50 extremely alarming.
 
2.Global Hunger Index
 
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is an annual report that tracks and measures hunger at global, regional, and national levels. It is designed to raise awareness and understanding of the struggle against hunger and promote actions to reduce hunger worldwide. The GHI is jointly published by the international organizations Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe.

Indicators: The GHI scores are calculated based on four key indicators:

  • Undernourishment: The proportion of the population with insufficient caloric intake.
  • Child Wasting: The percentage of children under the age of five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition.
  • Child Stunting: The percentage of children under the age of five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition.
  • Child Mortality: The mortality rate of children under the age of five, which is often related to malnutrition.

Scoring: The GHI score is on a 100-point scale, where 0 is the best score (no hunger) and 100 is the worst. The scale is divided into five categories:

  • Low Hunger: 0 to 9.9
  • Moderate Hunger: 10 to 19.9
  • Serious Hunger: 20 to 34.9
  • Alarming Hunger: 35 to 49.9
  • Extremely Alarming Hunger: 50 or more
 
3. Global Hunger Index 2024 about India
 
 
  • The score is determined by four key indicators: child stunting (percentage of children under five who are shorter than the expected height for their age, indicating chronic malnutrition), undernourishment (portion of the population with inadequate caloric intake), child wasting (percentage of children under five who are underweight for their height), and child mortality (proportion of children who die before reaching five years old).
  • According to the report, 13.7% of the population in India is undernourished, 35.5% of children are stunted, 18.7% are wasted, and 2.9% die before their fifth birthday. Notably, India has the highest rate of child wasting worldwide.
  • Despite these challenges, the report highlights that India has shown considerable political commitment to improving food and nutrition, citing initiatives such as the National Food Security Act, Poshan Abhiyan, PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, and the National Mission for Natural Farming. However, there remains significant scope for enhancement.
  • The report draws attention to the link between the poor nutritional status of mothers and the resulting poor health outcomes for their children, contributing to the cycle of undernutrition.
  • Factors such as low maternal weight gain during pregnancy and low infant birth weight contribute to the high rate of child wasting.
  • Additionally, the report suggests that GDP growth does not automatically translate to better food and nutritional security, urging the need for policies that focus on pro-poor development and address social and economic disparities
 
4. Proposed Solutions
 
  • The report advocates for a comprehensive approach that includes expanding access to social safety nets, addressing factors that impact overall well-being and nutrition, and focusing on tailored strategies for meeting nutritional needs.
  • One key recommendation is to enhance access to social safety nets and cash transfer programs, such as the Public Distribution Scheme (PDS), PM Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY), and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
  • Additionally, it calls for increased investments in agriculture through an integrated food systems approach, promoting diverse, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable food production, particularly of crops like millets.
  • Furthermore, the report emphasizes targeted investments in maternal and child health, stressing the importance of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene. Lastly, it highlights the need for interventions that account for the connections between food, nutrition, gender issues, and climate
 
Collection Methodology
 
Last year, the Ministry of Women and Child Development raised concerns about data not being sourced from their ICT application, 'Poshan Tracker'. The Ministry emphasized that organizations like UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank have recognized the tracker as a significant advancement. It also noted that the tracker consistently recorded child wasting rates below 7.2% on a monthly basis, significantly lower than the 18.7% reported in the 2023 Global Hunger Index. However, researchers clarified that they rely on survey data validated for inclusion in the Joint Malnutrition Estimates and the WHO Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition. They argue that using consistent data sources ensures comparability across countries, and making exceptions would compromise the uniformity of the results and rankings
 
 
5. The world’s 10 worst-affected countries by hunger in 2024
 
Progress in reducing hunger has slowed, with hunger levels rising in 22 countries since 2016, and in 20 others, little to no progress has been made. In five nations—Fiji, Jordan, Libya, Syria, and Venezuela—the hunger situation has worsened compared to 2000.
The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) underscores the persistent challenges facing the world's poorest countries, exacerbating existing inequalities. The GHI is a key tool used by international humanitarian organizations to measure and monitor hunger levels globally.
Using indicators such as undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality across 127 countries, the 2024 report identifies the top 10 countries most affected by hunger
 
Rank 2024 Country Name GHI 2024 GHI 2000
127 Somalia 44.1 63.3
126 Yemen 41.2 41.6
125 Chad 36.4 50.5
124 Madagascar 36.3 42.3
123 Democratic Republic of the Congo 34.9 47.2
122 Haiti 34.3 39.8
121 Niger 34.1 53.1
120 Liberia 31.9 48.0
119 Central African Republic 31.5 48.0
118 Korea (DPR) 31.4 43.7
 
 
Undernourishment
 

Undernourishment refers to a condition in which people do not have adequate access to food, leading to insufficient caloric intake needed for maintaining a healthy and active life. It is typically measured by the percentage of the population whose caloric intake falls below the minimum dietary energy requirements set by health authorities, based on factors such as age, gender, and physical activity level.

Undernourishment is often caused by factors such as poverty, food insecurity, and lack of access to nutritious foods. It leads to various health issues, including weakened immunity, stunted growth in children, and higher susceptibility to diseases.

In global hunger metrics, like the Global Hunger Index (GHI), undernourishment is a key indicator that reflects the prevalence of hunger in a population and helps track progress toward food security

 
 
For Prelims: Global Hunger Index, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act)
For Mains: All the related issues regarding Poverty and hunger in India
 
Previous Year Questions

1. Which of the following is/are the indicator/indicators used by IFPRI to compute the Global Hunger Index Report? (UPSC CSE 2016)

  1. Undernourishment
  2. Child stunting
  3. Child mortality

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 3 only

Answer : (c)

1.Food Security Bill is expected to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in India. Critically discuss various apprehensions in its effective implementation along with the concerns it has generated in WTO. (UPSC CSE Mains 2013)

 
Source: The Hindu

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