Food insecurity is a complex problem facing today’s word, especially in developing countries. Many people across the globe lack the resources to meet their basic needs; this increases the household’s risk of insecurity. The current paper seeks to analyze the issue of food insecurity, whereby it will focus on the background of the said problem. It will also establish technologies that can help reduce hunger and curb food insecurity. Lastly, it will identify specific factors that interrupt the flow of food from the source to the people. The paper will mainly focus on India as a case study country. It is worth noting that in many developing countries, the primary cause of food insecurity is not lack of food but rather the access to food. A feasible way to remedy food insecurity caused by a lack of access to food is to implement data-driven supply systems that will bypass interruptions that hinder available food from reaching the people.
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Food insecurity Background
Food insecurity refers to the lack of consistent access to sufficient food to ensure an active, healthy life. According to Prosekov and Ivanova, food insecurity occurs when people do not have enough economic, social, or physical access to safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences to ensure an active and healthy life (72). Notably, though hunger and food insecurity are closely related, they are varying concepts. Whereas the former refers to the personal, physical sensation of discomfort, the latter describes a lack of available economic resources for food at the household level (Parappurathu, 77). Thus, the household level is the application of the concept of food insecurity, with individuals within households as the primary focus of the concern.
Population growth plays a vital role in food insecurity. An increase in population induces increased demand for food. If food production does not match the increased population growth, then the country in question faces the risk of food insecurity (Prosekov & Ivanova, 75). Additionally, increased population growth contributes to global warming due to the increased release of greenhouse gases. Consequently, global warming causes a decline in agricultural output, thereby contributing to food insecurity (Parappurathu, 78). For instance, population growth in India over the past few decades has been accompanied by increased global warming in the co8untry, which in turn has led to a decline in agricultural production (Banik, 39). Hence, if the population growth rate is not accompanied by a similar or higher increase in agriculture production levels, then it causes food insecurity.
Technologies that can Reduce Hunger and Improve Food Security
As noted earlier in this paper, the leading cause of food insecurity is not a food shortage but rather a lack of food access. A technology that can help address this problem is a data-driven food security system. The system will collect household data across India to identify at-risk populations. The identification of these households will paint a vivid picture of households that face food insecurity. The information will help inform frameworks aimed to improve the economic wellbeing of the said households. It is important to note that the data collected will not be used to distribute food to at-risk households. Instead, it will help relevant entities and authorities identify households to channel their stimulus strategies to improve their economic status. Therefore, the technology will address food insecurity caused by limited access to available food due to governmental control over food distribution. Improving the financial wellbeing of at-risk households will provide access to the Indian population faced with food insecurity.
Another technology that can reduce hunger and improve food security in India is a data-driven food supply chain management system. The system will address the issue by bypassing existing food distribution controls that lead to food insecurity. The data-driven system will ensure that food supply to households facing hunger and food insecurity flows seamlessly. India is one of the countries that benefit from food reliefs from various global organizations such as the World Food Programme and the United Nations food relief agency. However, the existence of counterproductive government controls and corruption prevents the target beneficiaries from enjoying the aid. A data-driven food supply chain management system will ensure that relief food timely and effectively reaches households facing food insecurity.
Specific Factors that Interrupt the Flow of Food in India
Considering the above-discussed cause of food security in India, several factors interrupt the flow of food from the source to the people. Firstly, high rates of population growth lead to increased demand for food. Considering that the said demand is accompanied by agricultural production decline due to global warming, it interrupts the flow of food from the source to the citizens. Another factor that plays a significant role in promoting food insecurity is poverty. Notably, two-thirds of people in this country live in poverty. According to George and McKay, more than 68% of Indians survive on less than $2 a day (Banik, 42). As such, these people struggle to afford safe and nutritious food consistently; thus, facilitating the interruption. Lastly, government controls have also significantly compromised food security in India is governmental controls. Food policy and food politics in India have rendered the country the largest number of people facing hunger and food insecurity (3221). Thus, reforms in these areas are urgently needed to promote food security in India.
Conclusion
Thus, food insecurity is a significant problem facing India. The problem is mainly caused by governmental controls stemming from food policy and politics. A viable way to remedy the problem is implementing data-driven systems to monitor food insecurity in India, which will help identify households facing hunger and food insecurity. Based on the information, relevant agencies and authorities who seek to curb food insecurity in the country can establish supply frameworks that will avoid existing interruptions that hinder available food from reaching the people.
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