Global Hunger Index 2023: India’s Hunger Crisis Reflected Through 111th Rank, Government Disputes Ranking

Global Hunger Index 2023: India’s Hunger Crisis Reflected Through 111th Rank, Government Disputes Ranking

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023, which was published on Thursday, October 12, ranked India 111th out of 125 nations, highlighting the country’s worrying hunger status.  According to the research, which was made public on Thursday by the German NGO Welt Hunger Hilfe as well as the Irish NGO Concern Worldwide, India’s hunger problem is considered to be “serious,” with a GHI score of 28.7. India has dropped four positions in this ranking over the previous year, when it was in 107th place.

India’s Disturbing Hunger Situation

The highest child-wasting rate in the world, which is 18.7% in India, was emphasized in the research as a sign of children’s severe undernutrition. Child wasting, which is determined by the weight in relation to height and is frequently linked to long-term developmental deficits, is thought to be a major predictor of death in children under the age of five. The under-five mortality rate in India was reported to be 3.1%, and the rate of undernourishment was 16.6%. 58.1% of women aged 15 to 24 had anaemia, which is an unacceptably high incidence.

The Indian government promptly disregarded the GHI report after learning of its results, calling it “flawed” as well as “erroneous.” The methodology of the research was questioned by the Union Government, namely the Women and Child Development Ministry, who said that it had “serious methodological issues and shows a malafide intent.”

Highest Child Wasting Rate Reported

“India has the highest child wasting rate in the world, at 18.7%, reflecting acute undernutrition,” said the research. Based on a child’s weight in relation to their height, wasting is assessed.

According to the National Health Portal of India, “Child wasting is a strong predictor of mortality among children under five, and is associated with long-term developmental delays.”

Regional Disparities in South Asia

In the index, India’s neighbours did relatively better. Pakistan was rated 102nd, trailing Bangladesh (81st), Nepal (69th), and Sri Lanka (60th). South Asia, as well as Africa, south of the Sahara were named as the world’s regions with the highest levels of hunger, with both receiving a GHI score of 27. Despite having a marginally better score than these places, India is nonetheless facing a severe hunger crisis.

The GHI is a comprehensive tool for assessing and monitoring hunger at the global, regional, as well as country levels. The research has drawn attention to the critical need to deal with hunger and malnutrition in India, particularly among children. Despite the government’s denial, these troubling data highlight the need for fast and effective action to eliminate hunger and ensure the healthy development of the nation’s youngsters.

Government Challenges Global Hunger Index Methodology

In order to disprove the assertions stated in the report, the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023 methodology has been contested by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD). The ministry criticized the GHI as being a “flawed measure of hunger” that misrepresents India’s actual situation in a comprehensive statement.

The ministry argued that the GHI “continues to be a flawed measure of ‘Hunger'” because it places a significant emphasis on child health-related variables, which are not necessarily a reflection of the general population. The ministry claims that the GHI’s primary indicator, the “Proportion of Undernourished (PoU) population,” is based on a survey with only a small sample size of three thousand individuals, a claim that the Global Hunger Initiative disputes. Along with hunger, the ministry expressed worry about the use of indicators like stunting and wasting, which can be affected by a number of other factors as well, including hygienic conditions, heredity, the environment, as well as the way food is consumed.

The discrepancy between the data recorded on its Poshan Tracker portal as well as the figures utilized in the GHI report was one of the main issues brought up by the MoWCD. The Ministry of Health reported that the GHI used a figure of 18.7% derived from the National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS) 2019–2021, however the Poshan Tracker reported a value of 7.2% among 7.24 crore under-five-year-olds. The GHI made it clear that, in order to assure comparability, it used consistent data sources for all nations and that, in order to determine undernourishment, it used India’s Food Balance Sheet as opposed to a telephone-based opinion survey.

GHI Responds to Criticism

The index was defended by Miriam Wiemers, a senior policy advisor at the GHI, who said that using the same data sources across all nations assures comparable procedures. She underlined that making allowances for any nation would make it difficult to compare outcomes as well as rankings. Contrary to what the MoWCD said, the GHI maintained that it does not quantify undernourishment using a telephone-based opinion poll.

Despite the government’s concerns, the GHI stands by its approach, demonstrating that there is still disagreement regarding the veracity as well as accuracy of India’s hunger statistics. It is unclear how the debate may affect upcoming analyses of hunger and malnutrition in the nation as it develops.

India Struggles to Make Progress on Global Hunger Index Despite Initiatives

India continues to encounter difficulties despite its concerted efforts to combat hunger as well as undernutrition, as shown by the most recent Global Hunger Index (GHI) report. India’s GHI score of 28.7 places it in the “serious” category for hunger severity, suggesting the urgent need for ongoing efforts to address this problem.

The government of India has put in place a number of programs to combat hunger and undernutrition. More than 1.39 million Anganwadi centers nationwide regularly use The Poshan Tracker, a program that makes use of the World Health Organization’s growth tables. The government’s dedication to solving issues of child nutrition and health is shown in these institutions’ monitoring of child health measures.  Additionally, the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) during the COVID-19 epidemic gave approximately 800 million beneficiaries access to basic food grains, reducing rising food insecurity.

Over the past eight years, India’s GHI score has made only modest advancements; and moreover, this year, it has slipped in the rankings. Despite the fact that the nation’s score went from 38.4 in 2000 to 29.2 in 2015, the improvement slowed down over time. The current score of 28.7 indicates that more work has to be done if significant gains are to be made. India is not the only country experiencing stagnation; the world’s 2023 GHI score is 18.3, which denotes a moderate amount of hunger. However, the number of people who are undernourished climbed from 7.5% in 2017 to 9.2% in 2022, impacting more than 735 million people.

Multi-Dimensional Nature of Hunger

The four indicators that make up the GHI score are undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, as well as child mortality. Together, these measures reflect hunger’s multifaceted nature. Even though India achieved considerable strides between 2000 and 2015, the most current data indicate that new and focused actions are still required to deal with the country’s remaining problems.

The Global Hunger Index report highlights how crucial it is to keep up the fight against hunger and malnutrition in India. Despite these obstacles, the Indian government is committed to promoting nutrition as well as food security as an integral component of its overall development goal. To address the core causes of hunger and assure a healthier and more affluent future for the country, sustained efforts, creative techniques, as well as targeted interventions are required. To achieve substantial progress in eradicating hunger and enhancing the overall well-being of its population as India moves into the future, it would require a collaborative strategy combining government agencies, NGOs, along with the private sector.

Global Hunger Persists Amidst Ongoing Crises: GHI 2023 Highlights Urgent Need for Action

A distressing truth has been brought to light by the 2023 Global Hunger Index: despite years of dedicated action, the global fight against hunger has essentially stagnated. The world’s most recent GHI score is 18.3, which is just slightly lower than the 19.1 score from 2015 and indicates a moderate level of hunger. With the number of undernourished individuals increasing from 572 million to a startling 735 million since 2017, the overall incidence of undernourishment, a crucial indicator included in GHI calculations, continues to be on an upward trajectory.

The combined effects of geopolitical tensions like the Russia-Ukraine war, conflicts, economic shocks, the global pandemic, as well as climate change have made social and economic inequality worse, slowing or even undoing prior progress in decreasing hunger in many nations. The ability of many countries to cope with these converging problems has been put to the test. The regional breakdown emphasizes the differences in hunger levels even more. With GHI ratings of 27.0 apiece, which indicate a substantial level of hunger, South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara share the regrettable distinction of having the greatest levels of hunger.

With a score of 11.9, West Asia and North Africa experience mild hunger. Notably, the only regions where GHI scores have declined between 2015 and 2023 are Latin America as well as the Caribbean. The inequalities even within areas are highlighted by the relative lower levels of hunger in East and Southeast Asia, especially in China. With a combined score of 6.0, Europe and Central Asia experience the least amount of hunger.

The simultaneous and ongoing crises that are requiring continuous attention and resources provide a serious challenge to the humanitarian community. One in ten people in the globe, or 783 million people, are thought to experience nighttime hunger, according to UN experts. Furthermore, an enormous spike from pre-pandemic levels in early 2021 has resulted in over 345 million people experiencing significant amounts of food insecurity.

Urgent Action Required to Address Global Hunger Crisis

The crucial problem of hunger afflicting India as well as the rest of the world has been made clear by the most recent Global Hunger Index (GHI) reports. Despite noteworthy measures and efforts, malnutrition and undernourishment remain problems in India, particularly among children. This is a matter for concern. With a GHI score of 28.7, India’s hunger crisis is considered “serious,” necessitating increased efforts as well as innovative strategies to tackle it. Poshan Tracker and PMGKAY are examples of government efforts that are positive moves in the right direction, but more concentrated and long-lasting action is required.

The state of affairs on a global basis is equally troubling. A bleak picture is painted by the global GHI score of 18.3 and the increase in the overall number of undernourished persons to 735 million. The combined consequences of pandemics, economic hardships, wars, and climate change have made social inequality worse and halted the reduction of hunger in many countries.

There is an urgent need for focused interventions in places like South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara due to the extreme levels of hunger there. These results make it clear that combating hunger and malnutrition needs to be a top concern on a worldwide scale. To create and execute sustainable solutions, governments, international organizations, non-profits, and communities must work effectively together.

Not only is adequate nourishment a fundamental human right, but it is also necessary for a happy and healthy society. Investment in agriculture, guaranteeing accessibility to healthcare and education, and pushing laws that deal with the underlying causes of hunger are all examples of immediate actions. It is vital to give research and innovation into climate-resilient crops and sustainable farming methods top priority. In addition, a comprehensive plan to end hunger must include initiatives to settle disputes, advance social equality, as well as strengthen women.

A world without hunger is possible with the combined efforts and will of all nations in the world. Governments and societies must give this problem top priority, allot essential resources, as well as collaborate assiduously as we move forward. It is vital to give research and innovation into climate-resilient crops and sustainable farming methods top priority. In addition, a comprehensive plan to end hunger must include initiatives to settle disputes, advance social equality, as well as strengthen women.

We can create a future where no child goes to bed hungry and no community experiences the debilitating effects of hunger and malnutrition by placing a high priority on food security as well as nutrition. To ensure that no one suffers from hunger, teamwork, compassion, and smart interventions are necessary in confronting situations of adversity. A world without hunger is possible with the combined efforts and will of all nations in the world. Governments and societies must give this problem top priority, allot essential resources, as well as collaborate assiduously as we move forward.