CBSE Class 9 Economics Ch4 Notes PDF Food Security in India

Food security means ensuring that all people have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food at all times for an active and healthy life. According to CBSE Syllabus Class 9 SST, food security depends on three dimensions - availability, accessibility and affordability.

The chapter also explains the problem of hunger, which can be:

• Chronic hunger (long-term inadequate food intake)
• Seasonal hunger (occurs during certain seasons due to unemployment or crop failure)

The 1943 Bengal famine is cited as a historical example of how lack of food access, not just production, can lead to mass starvation.

Food Security Notes Class 9

These Food Security in India notes cover the reasons behind food shortages, the role of public distribution systems, and government programs that provide food to the needy. It helps students understand the challenges and solutions related to food availability, accessibility, and affordability in India.

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What is Food Security?

Food security means that all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their basic needs for a healthy life. It is not just about having food available in the country, but also about whether people can afford it and actually get it.

In simple words, food security depends on three main things:

• Availability of food (enough food is produced or stored)
• Accessibility of food (people can reach and buy food)
• Affordability of food (people have enough income to purchase it)

When any one of these is missing, food security is at risk.

Components of Food Security 

Food security has three main components. All three are important. If even one of them is missing, food security cannot be achieved.

1. Availability: Availability means that enough food should be produced or stored in the country. This includes food grown on farms, food stored in warehouses, and food brought in from other places if needed. In a country like India with a large population, it is important that sufficient food grains are available to meet everyone’s basic nutritional needs. If food production falls due to reasons like droughts, floods, or crop failure, food availability becomes a problem.

2. Accessibility: Accessibility means that food should reach all people, especially those who need it the most. Even if enough food is available, it is useless if people cannot get it. Good transport systems, storage facilities, and fair distribution are necessary so that food can reach remote areas, villages, and poor sections of society. This ensures that food is accessible to everyone.

3. Affordability: Affordability means that people should have enough money to buy food. If food prices are too high, poor families may not be able to purchase sufficient food even if it is available in the market. To solve this problem, the government provides food grains at subsidised prices through the Public Distribution System (PDS). This helps low-income families buy basic food items at lower prices.

Why Do We Need Food Security?

We need food security because food is a basic need for survival, and not everyone gets enough food all the time.

• India has a very large population, so it is important to make sure that enough food is available for everyone.
• Many people in India depend on farming for their income. Their crops can be damaged due to droughts, floods, pests, or bad weather. Food security helps in such situations when production is affected.
• Natural disasters like floods and droughts can destroy crops and cause food shortages in some areas. Food security allows food grains to be stored and supplied to these areas when needed.
• Poor and low-income families are the most affected when food becomes scarce or expensive. Food security helps ensure that they can get basic food items.
• Food production is not the same in all parts of the country. Food security helps reduce this gap by supplying food from surplus areas to shortage areas.

Who Are Food Insecure People in India?

Food insecure people in India are those who do not have regular access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food due to poverty, unemployment or unexpected situations like natural disasters.

• People affected by natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes and droughts often face food insecurity due to the sudden shortage of food during emergencies.
• Agricultural labourers and construction workers are highly vulnerable because their work is seasonal. Job loss means no regular income, making it difficult to buy basic food items.
• People living in urban slums with very low or irregular incomes frequently suffer from food insecurity.
• Families without a fixed salaried earning member struggle to afford sufficient and nutritious food.
• Orphans, abandoned children and children who have lost their parents are also at high risk of food insecurity due to lack of financial and social support.

Other than these, there are landless agricultural labourers, traditional artisans, destitute, pregnant & nursing mothers, SC/ST households, people in drought-prone states (Odisha, Bihar, etc.), and seasonal migrant workers.

These groups especially in certain states like Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh have higher levels of food insecurity due to poverty and underdevelopment.

How is Food Security Maintained in India?

After India gained independence, the country faced severe food insecurity. There was no sufficient stock to feed the growing population and India had to import food from countries like the United States.

Over time, India focused on research and development in agriculture, especially in improving seeds. With the help of Indian scientists, genetically improved seeds were developed to grow wheat and rice faster. This led to:

a) Green Revolution

The Green Revolution, whose main goal was to increase crop production across India. These high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds produced more food per acre compared to traditional seeds.

As a result:

• India became self-sufficient in food production
• Farmers started producing large quantities of rice and wheat
• The agricultural industry transformed India’s food security

The Green Revolution played a very important role in maintaining food security by increasing production and reducing dependence on food imports. But it benefited mainly Punjab, Haryana, and Western UP, which caused a regional imbalance as well.

b) Buffer Stock

Buffer stock is the reserve of food grains maintained by the government to ensure availability during emergencies or shortages.

• The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is responsible for storing these food grains.
• FCI buys crops (wheat and rice) directly from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) fixed by the government, ensuring farmers get a fair price.
• The MSP guarantees that the price of each crop does not fall below a certain level.
• Food grains are stored in clean, secure warehouses to protect them from insects, moisture and high temperatures.

Buffer stock ensures that India can meet food requirements during natural disasters, price spikes or sudden shortages.

c) Public Distribution system 

The Public Distribution System (PDS) is a government program that provides subsidised food grains to the general public, especially the poor and vulnerable.

• PDS was introduced after India’s independence to help people who were below the poverty line (BPL).
• The poverty line is a benchmark used to identify families with low income who need government support.
• Based on this, the government sets up ration shops across the country.
• These shops distribute essential food items like rice, wheat, sugar and kerosene at lower prices.
• The main goal of PDS is to ensure that no one goes hungry and everyone can access affordable food.

In 1997, the government introduced the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) to focus more on Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

Under TPDS:

• BPL families receive food grains at highly subsidised prices
• APL families receive smaller subsidies

This reform aimed to reduce leakages and improve targeting of poor households.

Major Food Security Schemes in India

The Government of India has introduced several schemes to ensure that poor and vulnerable sections of society get enough food. These schemes focus on providing food at low prices and improving nutrition, especially for children and low-income families.

a) National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

The National Food Security Act was passed by the Government of India in 2013.

• It provides a legal right to food to eligible people.
• Under this Act, about two-thirds (around 67%) of India’s population is covered.
• Eligible households receive 5 kg of food grains per person per month at subsidised prices.
• The Act mainly supports people belonging to low-income and vulnerable groups.

b) Mid-Day Meal Scheme

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme was first started by the Tamil Nadu government and later adopted across India.

• Under this scheme, free cooked meals are provided to students in government and government-aided schools.
• The main aim is to improve nutrition among children and increase school attendance.
• It helps students who may not get enough food at home.
• The scheme has also helped reduce classroom hunger and improve enrolment in schools.

c) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)

The ICDS scheme focuses on young children and mothers.

• It provides nutritional support to children below 6 years of age.
• Pregnant women and lactating mothers also receive nutrition under this scheme.
• Services are provided through Anganwadi centres.

d) Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

Antyodaya Anna Yojana was launched in 2000 for the poorest families.

• Under this scheme, the poorest of the poor households are provided food grains at very low prices.
• Eligible families receive 35 kg of food grains per month.
• The scheme aims to ensure food security for families who cannot afford enough food on their own.

Challenges in Food Security in India

Even after many government schemes, ensuring food security in India is still not easy. Some common problems are:

• Corruption and leakage in PDS: Food grains meant for poor people do not always reach them. Sometimes grains are diverted or misused, which affects fair distribution.
• Poor storage facilities: In many places, food grains are not stored properly. Due to heat, moisture, and pests, grains can get spoiled and wasted.
• Fake ration cards: Some people use fake ration cards to get subsidised food. This reduces the share available for people who genuinely need it.
• Weak delivery system: Poor infrastructure and delays in transportation and distribution make it difficult to supply food on time to needy areas.

Because of these problems, food security schemes do not always work as effectively as they should. Continuous monitoring and improvement are needed to reduce these issues.

FAQs

Q1. What is food security?

Ans. Food security means ensuring that all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

Q2. Why is food security important in India?

Ans. India has a large population, frequent natural disasters and vulnerable low-income groups. Food security ensures that everyone has access to adequate and affordable food, reducing hunger and malnutrition.

Q3. Who is considered food insecure in India?

Ans. Food insecure people include those affected by natural disasters, landless labourers, urban poor, families without a fixed income and orphans or children who have lost their parents.

Q4. What is buffer stock?

Ans. Buffer stock is a reserve of food grains maintained by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to meet food requirements during emergencies, natural disasters or sudden shortages.

Q5. What is the Public Distribution System (PDS)?

Ans. PDS is a government program that distributes subsidized food grains like rice, wheat and sugar to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families through ration shops to ensure everyone can access affordable food.