Policy Paper Highlights Critical Risks to India’s Food and Feed Security

20 August 2024, New Delhi: In a recent policy paper, the Kisan-Vigyan Foundation (KAKV Foundation) has highlighted pressing risks to India’s national food and feed security, painting a troubling picture of the country’s ability to meet its growing demands for safe, nutritious food and adequate livestock feed. This think tank, dedicated to bolstering food and feed security and supporting farmer welfare through fact-based research, has underscored several critical issues that require immediate attention and action.

India’s standing on the 2023 Global Hunger Index is a stark indicator of the challenges ahead. With a rank of 111 out of 125 countries and a score of 28.7, India’s hunger severity is classified as ‘serious’. This marks a decline from the previous year, emphasizing the need for urgent intervention. The report suggests that a quarter of the world’s hungry population resides in India, highlighting the pressing issue of feeding a rapidly growing population with limited land resources.

The paper emphasizes that a narrow focus on human food security, while neglecting the feed and industrial demands, is a significant oversight. To address these intertwined issues, it is essential to consider the four dimensions of food and feed security: availability, access and affordability, utilization, and sustainability.

The policy paper highlights several factors that contribute to the current risk landscape that includes population pressure, feed deficiencies, declining agricultural productivity, climate change, water scarcity, land degradation, storage and distribution issues.

The KAKV Foundation’s policy paper advocates for strengthening key sectors to address these risks effectively. For Seed Sector, the foundation suggests that quality seed supplies are fundamental to enhancing agricultural productivity. The paper calls for a more streamlined germplasm exchange system and independent trials to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure the release of high-yielding seed varieties. Improving agronomy and soil nutrition is crucial to achieving higher yields from existing varieties.

For crop protection sector and on the use of agrochemicals, the paper lighlights that the crop protection sector plays a vital role in managing pests and diseases that threaten crop yields. Strengthening this sector involves improving self-sufficiency in agrochemical production, reducing import dependencies, and enhancing regulatory frameworks to expedite the introduction of new crop protection chemicals.

For crop nutrient supply the paper highlights balancing nutrient use and exploring sustainable farming practices are essential for long-term food and feed security. The report underscores the importance of optimizing fertilizer use and adopting efficient agronomic practices to boost productivity while maintaining soil health.

The KAKV Foundation calls on policymakers to adopt a comprehensive approach that includes enhancing agricultural productivity, improving seed and crop protection systems, and optimizing nutrient management. Addressing these critical areas will be key to ensuring India’s food and feed security amidst the growing challenges.

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