Headline : Why hunger around the world is rising again?
Details :
The News
  • According to the ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018’ report there has been a rise in world hunger for third year in a row.

About the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018’ report
  • The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018’ report is published by UN Food and Agriculture Organisation with support of WHO, World Food Programme, UNICEF and International Fund for Agriculture Development.
  • It was first launched in September 2017 to monitor the progress of the world in eradicating hunger and malnutrition within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • The report monitors progress towards the targets of ending both hunger (SDG Target 2.1) and all forms of malnutrition (SDG Target 2.2)

Key Results
  • The number of undernourished people in the world has been on the rise since 2014, reaching an estimated 821 million in 2017
  • The most important reasons for worsened food security include:
  1. Persistent instability in conflict-ridden regions
  2. Adverse climate events in many regions of the world
  3. Economic slowdowns that have affected more peaceful regions
  • Africa remains the continent with the highest prevalence of undernourishment PoU, affecting almost 21 percent of the population.
  • The situation is also deteriorating in South America, where the PoU has increased from 4.7 percent in 2014 to a projected 5.0 percent in 2017.
  • The projected PoU for Asia in 2017 is 11.4 percent, which represents more than 515 million people.
  • The number of stunted children has decreased from 165.2 million in 2012 to 150.8 million in 2017, a 9 percent decline. 
  • In 2017, 40.7 percent of infants below six months of age were exclusively breastfed, up from 36.9 percent in 2012.
  • However, anaemia among women of reproductive age has risen from 30.3 percent in 2012 to 32.8 percent in 2016.
  • In 2017, 7.5 percent of children under five – 50.5 million – were affected by wasting.

India and its neighbours
  • While the number of undernourished people has declined in China, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, it has increased in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
  • India still accounts for the world’s largest population of undernourished people and is home to about one in every five undernourished persons.

Malnutrition in India: A backgrounder
3 indicators of malnutrition:
  • Wasting: Children whose weight is below the average for their height are considered wasted. Wasting is an indicator of acute malnutrition.
  • Stunting: Children whose height is below the average for their age are considered to be stunted. Stunting is an indicator of chronic malnutrition.
  • Underweight: Children whose weight is below the average for their age are considered under-weight. Under-weight is an indicator of acute or chronic malnutrition or both.
  • As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015-16), 35.7 per cent children below five years are underweight, 38.4 per cent are stunted and 21 per cent are wasted in the country.
  • Current status: One in every 2 women is Anaemic , One in every 3 children is Stunted, One in every 3 children is Malnourished, One in every 5 children is Wasted.

Step taken by India
National Nutrition Mission
  • National Nutrition Mission was launched in March 2018 with a budgetary support of Rs.9000 Cr over the next three years.
  • The International Bank of Reconstruction and Development of World Bank has contributed 50% of the budgetary support.
Objective
  • The Mission seeks to reduce the levels of stunting, under-nutrition, anemia and low-birth weight of babies.
Targets
  • Reduce mal-nutrition by 2% every year by reducing stunting, wasting and under-nutrition by 2% each every year.
  • Reduce incidence of anemia by 3% every year.
  • Mission 25 by 2022: Reduction in Stunting among children up to the age of six years from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by 2022.