Hindu Editorial Analysis : 14-October-2023

In the recently released Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023, India finds itself placed at the 111th position among 125 nations, marking a decline by four places from the previous year. The GHI score of 28.7, categorizing India’s hunger situation as “serious”, has raised concerns globally. This essay critically examines India’s GHI ranking, addressing the government’s criticisms and emphasizing the underlying nutrition challenge.

India’s GHI Ranking: A Serious Concern
  • India’s rank: 111 out of 125 nations, indicating a fall of four places from 2022.
  • GHI score: 28.7 out of 100, marking the severity of hunger as “serious”.
  • Comparison with neighboring countries: India positioned after Pakistan (102nd), Bangladesh (81st), Nepal (69th), and Sri Lanka (60th).
Stagnation Amidst Global Crises

The GHI 2023 report attributes the stagnation in global hunger reduction to various crises including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic stagnation, climate change impacts, and conflicts faced by many nations.

Criticisms Over Methodology: Valid Concerns?
  • Government’s critique: India’s advancement on the GHI has been meager over the past eight years, leading to criticisms from the Union government.
  • Unreliable data: Discrepancies between data recorded by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) and GHI data sources have been highlighted, questioning the accuracy of the index.
  • Poorly designed indicators: Scholars argue that the GHI’s indicators, mainly focused on child health, may not be representative of the entire population.
The Need to Focus on the Nutrition Challenge
  • Ineffective policies: Despite initiatives like the National Food Security Act and Poshan 2.0, bureaucratic hurdles and social inequalities hinder people from accessing essential nutrition.
  • Child nutrition concerns: NFHS-5 reveals alarming statistics – 89% of children between 6-23 months lack a “minimum acceptable diet” and high rates of anemia prevail among children and women.
Why In News

The Centre’s criticism of the Global Hunger Index (GHI) should not diminish the significance of the nutrition challenge; instead, it should encourage constructive dialogue and collaborative efforts to address the complex issue of hunger and malnutrition globally.

MCQs about Challenging India’s Hunger Crisis: GHI Rankings and Beyond

  1. What is India’s rank in the Global Hunger Index 2023?
    A. 60
    B. 81
    C. 102
    D. 111
    Correct Answer: D. 111
    Explanation: India is ranked 111th among 125 nations in the Global Hunger Index 2023, indicating a serious level of hunger.
  2. What does India’s GHI score of 28.7 signify?
    A. Low Hunger
    B. Moderate Hunger
    C. Serious Hunger
    D. Critical Hunger
    Correct Answer: C. Serious Hunger
    Explanation: India’s GHI score of 28.7 categorizes its hunger situation as “serious” on a scale where 0 represents no hunger and 100 represents the worst hunger situation.
  3. According to the GHI 2023 report, what are the main reasons for the global stagnation in the fight against hunger?
    A. Economic Growth
    B. Climate Change and Conflicts
    C. Political Instability
    D. Technological Advancements
    Correct Answer: B. Climate Change and Conflicts
    Explanation: The GHI 2023 report attributes the stagnation in the fight against global hunger to the combined effects of overlapping crises, including the impacts of climate change and intractable conflicts facing many countries.

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