GEOGRAPHY AND YOU-JUNE 2019

​POSHAN ABHIYAAN FOR A MALNUTRITION

FREE INDIA

Context

In order to achieve malnutrition-free status, India ​needs to tackle its double burden of malnutrition,
undernutrition and obesity at the same time, thus India’s POSHAN Abhiyaan provides a​n opportunity
to counter malnutrition and guide a new era in food and nutrition security.

What is Malnutrition?

● As per World Health Organization, Malnutrition refers to ​deficiencies, excesses or imbalances

in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients​.
● The term malnutrition covers 2 broad groups of conditions, where One is ​‘undernutrition’ ​which
includes stunting (low height for age)​, ​wasting (low weight for height)​, ​underweight (low
weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies (a lack of important vitamins
and minerals) and the other is ​overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases
(such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer).
● Malnutrition adversely ​impacts children’s chances of survival​, enhances their ​susceptibility to
illness​, ​decreases their ability to learn​, and causes them to be ​less productive in life​ later on.
● Malnutrition is also estimated to be a ​contributing factor in 1/3rd of all deaths of kids below
the age of five years

Malnutrition-Globally

● Around 1.9 billion adults worldwide are ​overweight​, while 462 million are ​underweight. An
estimated 41 million children under the age of 5 years are ​overweight or obese​, while some 159
million are ​stunted ​and 50 million are ​wasted.
● Also there are, 528 million or 29% of women of reproductive age around the world ​affected by
anaemia​, for which approximately half would be​ amenable to iron supplementation.

Malnutrition in India
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 ● According to state-wide data on malnutrition presented by the Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR), Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and National Institute of Nutrition
(NIN), Malnutrition was the predominant risk factor for death in children younger than five
in every state of India in 2017​, accounting for​ 68.2 per cent of the total under-5 deaths​.
● According to it, the prevalence of low birthweight in India in 2017 was 21.4 per cent, child
stunting 39.3 per cent, child wasting 15.7 per cent, child underweight 32.7 per cent, anaemia in
children 59.7 per cent, anaemia in women 15–49 years of age 54.4 percent.
● According to UNICEF, ​India was at the 10th spot among countries with the highest number of
underweight children, and at the ​17th spot for the highest number of stunted children in the
world.
● According to the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-2016), ​38.4% of children under the
age of five are stunted​; ​35.7% are underweight​; ​18% of children were born underweight
(less than 2.5 kg); and ​58% of children between the age of 6-59 months and 53% of women in
the age of 14-49 years​ have anaemia.

Factors Causing Malnutrition in India

There are manifold variables that contribute to the occurrence of malnutrition in India
 ● Economics plays a crucial role in healthcare​, as families need money to be able to look after
their daily needs, including a healthy diet, safe water, and sanitary living conditions.
● In India, there is a highly significant problem of uncertainty of income among the rural
population (especially agricultural labourers), marginalised groups, and the informal sector.
● People’s access to sufficient and nutritious food is equally important, in this context, India’s
situation in this regard has been noted as “serious” by the International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI).
● Also, there are ​social and cultural challenges that tend to defeat the very purpose of a nutrition
programme.
● Lack of sanitation is also an important determinant of malnutrition​. In India, open
defecation remains a severe problem as a significant proportion of the population either do
not give importance to the use of clean toilets and therefore do not build them, or are in no
position to build within their living spaces due to income or space issues

Steps taken in order to achieve food and nutrition security(Timeline)

● India has made significant investments in achieving food and nutritional security through law and
public funded programmes.
● Article 39(a) of the Constitution states that it shall be the duty of the state to direct its policy
towards achieving adequate means of livelihood for all citizens.
● Article 47 spells​ out the duty of the state to raise the nutritional level of the people.
● The ​Right to Food is enshrined in Article 21 of the constitution making this right guaranteed
which can be enforced by virtue of the constitutional remedy provided under Article 32 of the
Constitution.
● Launched in 1975​, ​Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) Scheme provides for
supplementary nutrition, immunization and pre-school education to the children is a popular
flagship programme of the government.
● It is one of the world’s largest programmes providing for an integrated package of services for the
holistic development of the child. ICDS is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by state
governments and union territories.
● In July 2013, Government of India enacted National Food Security Act (NFSA) ​which gives
legal entitlement to 67% of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas) to receive
highly subsidized foodgrains.
● Under the Act, foodgrain is allocated @ 5 kg per person per month for priority households
category and @ 35 kg per family per month for AAY families at a highly subsidized prices of Rs.
1/- Rs. 2/- and Rs. 3/- per kg for nutri-cereals, wheat and rice respectively.
● Recently, ​POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) is being implemented as part of
the Strategy with the ​aim of ensuring a malnutrition free India by 2022.
What does the POSHAN Abhiyaan propose?

● Despite various government initiatives launched over the years which seeks ​to improve the
nutrition status in the country concerns regarding malnutrition have persisted.
● Thus in this context POSHAN Abhiyaan has been set up by Government of India, with an aim to
reduce the level of stunting in children (0-6 years), under-nutrition (underweight prevalence)in
children (0-6 years) and Low Birth Weight at 2% per annum and reduce anaemia among young
children (6-59 months), women and adolescent girls at 3% per annum across the country.
● Though target ​to reduce Stunting is at least 2% p.a.​, Mission would strive to achieve
reduction in Stunting from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by 2022 (Mission 25 by 2022).
● It also focused on ​providing nutrition and tacking micronutrient deficiencies​, which is
basically a deficiency of minerals and vitamins in the first 1000 days of life.
● By doing so, the scheme aims ​to boost nutritional outcomes in newborns, children,
adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
● It also plans to meet its targets by ​leveraging technology and innovation, building capacity,
supporting efficient governance and enabling behavioural change.

India’s Nutrition Landscape

Anaemia Prevalence In Children/Girls

● Anaemia is a condition that is marked by low levels of haemoglobin in the blood. Iron is a key
component of haemoglobin, and iron deficiency is estimated to be responsible for half of all
anaemia globally
 ● According to NHFS-4,
Overall, 59 percent of
children had some
degree of anaemia
(haemoglobin levels
below 11.0 g/dl).
Twenty-eight percent of
children had mild
anaemia, 29 percent had
moderate anaemia, and
2 percent had severe
anaemia.
● Also, Anaemia in
adolescent girls
perpetuates the cycle of
malnourishment for
subsequent generations,
as anaemic girls grow
into adults, subsequent
pregnancies not only
endanger their own
health by way of
preterm deliveries and
high risk of maternal
haemorrhages, but also
put their children at a
higher risk of anaemia
and of being born as
‘low-birth weight’
babies-perpetuating an
unending loop.
● About 26.8 per cent of Indian women marry before turning 18,, which triggers a cascading effect
of lack of nutrition-hygiene-family planning related counselling and more.

Double Burden Of Malnutrition

The double burden of malnutrition is characterised by the coexistence of undernutrition along with
overweight and obesity, or diet-related noncommunicable diseases, within individuals, households and
populations, and across the lifecourse.
 Figure : Double Burden of Malnutrition

The causes of the double burden of malnutrition in India are related to a sequence of epidemiological
changes known as the nutrition transition, the epidemiological transition and the demographic transition.

● Demographically, India is undergoing a slow transition from a regime of high birth and death
rates to one of low birth and death rates, on average, with a rise of about 10 years in the average
life expectancy every two decades.
● The epidemiological transition involves a double burden of communicable diseases and fast
increasing non-communicable diseases, which is why about 20.7 per cent women and 18.6 per
cent men in India are reportedly obese or overweight.
● Thus. by the year 2040, India needs to bring down its key indicators of malnutrition-stunting,
wasting, undernutrition and anaemia to single digits

Zero Hunger and Reduced Malnutrition

To achieve ‘zero’ hunger and reduce malnutrition deaths by 2040, a life-cycle approach is required to
prioritise nutrition-intensive investments for the first 1000 days of life (from conception to two-years).
Micronutrient Deficiency in India

Micronutrient deficiencies also referred to as ‘Hidden Hunger’ affects the health, learning ability as well
as productivity owing to high rates of illness and disability contributing to the vicious cycle of
malnutrition, underdevelopment and poverty.

● According to National Family Health Survey, only 47 percent, or less than half, of all women in
India consume dark green, leafy vegetables daily and 38 percent consume them weekly.
● About 45 percent of women consume pulses or beans daily and an equal percentage consume
them weekly and around 54 per cent women do not consume fruits even once a week and only a
third consume either chicken, meat, fish, or eggs daily.
● Among children aged between 6-23 months only 9.6 per cent received an adequate diet.
● Low productivity, poor cognitive and physical development, and increased morbidity and
mortality arise from micronutrient deficiencies and contribute to India’s disease burden.
● The annual GDP losses from low weight, poor growth of children, and micronutrient deficiencies
are, on average, 11 per cent in Asia and Africa, which is greater than the loss experienced in the
2008-2010 financial crisis.

Food fortification

India needs to adopt universal and mandatory food fortification along with the promotion of
bio-fortification, as a part of its medium and long-term strategy.

Fortification is the process of adding micronutrients into foodstuff that do not already contain them. For
example, milk is often fortified with additional vitamin D, to boost its nutritional value. The aim of
fortification is to help people remedy their nutritional deficiencies.

Why do we need Fortification of Food?

● 70% of people in India do not consume enough micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
● About 70 percent of pre-school children suffer from anaemia caused by Iron Deficiency and 57
percent of preschool children have sub–clinical Vitamin A deficiency.
● Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) are the most common congenital malformation with an incidence
that varies between 0.5-8/1000 births.
● It is estimated that 50-70% of these birth defects are preventable.
● This, deficiency of micronutrients or micronutrient malnutrition, also known as “hidden hunger”,
is a serious health risk.
● One of the strategies to address this problem is fortification of food, which is to improve nutrition
such as such as diversification of diet and supplementation of food.

Fortification of Food in India

 ● In India, Food fortification started in 1953, with vanaspati ghee fortified with vitamin A, followed
by salt iodisation in 1962 and milk fortification with vitamin A and D for three years from 1989
onwards.
● Rajasthan’s dairy cooperative continues to fortify low-fat milk and many units voluntarily fortify
edible oil with Vitamin A and D.

How Food Fortification can reduce malnutrition in India?

● Fortified foods supplied via public-funded programmes like the targeted Public Distribution
System (PDS), benefit the most marginalised and reach at least 67 per cent of the population.
● By Introducing food fortification in other key government funded programmes such as the ICDS
supplementary nutrition programme and the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) programme can also benefit
pregnant and lactating mothers, and children (6-72 months) by addressing micronutrient
deficiencies.

How Bio-Fortification can benefit India, by reducing Malnutrition?

● Biofortification is the process by which the nutrient density of food crops is increased through
conventional plant breeding, and/or improved agronomic practices and/or modern biotechnology
without sacrificing any characteristic that is preferred by consumers or most importantly to
farmers.
● It is recognized as a nutrition-sensitive-agriculture intervention that can reduce vitamin and
mineral deficiency.
● Though, biofortification yet to be explored in India, It can play a critical role agriculture by
uplifting the nutritional status.
● Inculcating dietary diversity for better nutrition with sustainable agriculture will also help
promote women smallholder farmers.
● The agri-nutrition focus will ensure that mother and child have access to a diversified diet,
leading to a sustainable solution.
● Along with the promotion of diet diversity, interventions have to be made to address the food
value chain from farm to linger.
● Quality assurance and quality control mechanisms along the value chain should be patronised so
that pregnant and lactating mother as well as the children have access to safe and nutritious food.
● Naturally biofortified crops like minor millets, Indian gooseberry (amla), drumsticks, spinach etc.
can increase dietary diversity and address micronutrient deficiencies.

Way Forward

A proposed Agri-Nutrition Convergence Action Plan can encourage cohesive action by relevant
ministries and departments and be pivotal to understanding the needs of producers and consumers and
responding to their demands for healthier, more nutritious food.
India currently ranks 114 out of 132 countries in terms of levels of stunting in children. With India
emerging as an economic superpower in the let century, these figures are indeed alarming and a cause for
dismay.

In order to achieve ‘malnutrition-free’ status, India’s development agenda needs a much stronger focus on
nutrition that can be achieved by evidence-based action and by making informed choices regarding food
and health.

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON

NUTRITION IN THE INDIAN
CONTEXT
Context

The interlinkages between climate change, agriculture and nutrition in the context of achieving
sustainable development outcomes for better health and well-being are increasingly being recognized as
significant and complex.
 Figure : Conceptual Linkage between Climate Change and Nutrition

Climate Change Impact on Nutrient Composition

● Climate change affects the enabling environment for malnutrition reduction. Shifting and
sometimes less predictable rainfall and temperature patterns affect political priorities, economic
growth, and inequality because the poorest people are most vulnerable to the changes.
● A less favorable enabling environment for malnutrition reduction makes the underlying
determinants of improved nutrition less effective. For example, unexpected and sometimes more
severe weather changes disrupt the intermediate environments that are so important for good
nutrition.
On India

● As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) the annual mean temperature in India has
increased by nearly 1.2°C since the beginning of the 20th century.
 ● The vulnerability of India to a changing climate is high because its agricultural system feeds 17.5
per cent of the world’s population with limited land and water resources (2.4 per cent of land and
4 percent water globally available).
● As per World Bank, extreme temperatures and droughts may shrink farmer incomes by 4-14 per
cent for key crops with the marginal farmers in rain-dependent regions being the worst-affected.
● It is estimated that by 2050, there would be between 4 and 8 per cent to even as high as 25 per
cent decrease in crop yields.
● With increasing temperatures wheat and sorghum crop yields are predicted to decrease by 6 to 7
per cent in overall productivity by the year 2050.
● Protein and micronutrient-rich nutria cereals like sorghum (millet) and coarse cereals like pearl
millet and finger millet and pigeon pea, and groundnut, sesame will be the worst-affected crops.
● In India, a third of the population is at risk of undernutrition, as the intake of micronutrients,
particularly iron, vitamin A, riboflavin, and folic acid was grossly deficient, about 50 percent of
recommended daily intake.

Climate Change impact on Agriculture yield

● The increase in atmospheric C02 improves crop growth performance by increasing the rate of
photosynthesis and water use efficiency.
● But the beneficial effects of higher C02 levels are reported to decrease with associated increase in
temperature above a crop specific level and increased variability of rainfall
● With each degree Celsius increase in global mean temperature has been shown to decrease
average global yields of wheat by 6 per cent, rice by 3.2 per cent, maize by 7.4 per cent, and
soybean by 3.1 per cent.

On World

● The physiological relationship between lack of food and stunting, showed that climate change
will lead to an increase in moderate stunting of 1 to 29 per cent by the year 2050, compared with
a future without climate change.
● There would be a greater impact on rates of severe stunting, which would increase by 23 percent
in Sub Saharan Africa and 62 per cent in South Asia.

Impact on Disease Burden Arising from Lack of Micronutrients

● As per the study, consumption of vegetables, fruits, and animal source foods is needed for dietary
diversity and is linked to meeting the micronutrient needs.
● Fruit and vegetable production are labour-intensive activities and climate change induced
temperature rise could lead to decreased labour productivity as a result of heat stress.
● As per the International Labour Organization, loss in productivity because of heat stress in India
can affect 34 million jobs by 2030.
 ● It is also estimated that by 2050, climate change could lead to a decrease in the production and
hence intake of fruits and vegetables.
● Increased food prices may further lower the nutritional quality of dietary intakes, exacerbate
obesity and amplify health inequalities.
● It is estimated that nearly half the soils on which food crops are grown in India are deficient in
zinc, iron, manganese and copper etc, which can result in dietary zinc deficiency, which is a
predisposing risk factor for diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria in children.
● In India, diarrhoea is the third-leading cause for childhood mortality for children under 5.

What are the specific action needs to be taken to curb the adverse impacts of climate
change

India depends on imports for fulfilling nutritional needs of the population, and with the ensuing climate
change, access to safe and nutritious food, and affordability, is bound to be impacted severely.

Following are the specific action needs to be taken to curb the adverse impacts of climate change

● Funding needs to be earmarked for designing, rolling out modern climate change-resistant
infrastructure and technology to tackle climate change and nutrition insecurity
● To reduce nutrition risks along the entire value chain, early warning systems are needed so that
farmers can produce sufficient food and traders can adequately store food in the face of extreme
weather events.
● Mitigation and adaptation strategies are needed to offset adverse impacts of climate change on
food production.
● Build and strengthen the capacity of public health professionals and allied forces, which may be
used for prevention and management of climate change-related issues.
● Academic and research capacity needs to be augmented. Integrated curricula drawing upon best
practices from agriculture, public health, nutrition, transport and environment to prepare qualified
interdisciplinary workforce should be designed and adopted.
● Invest in social protection schemes and livelihood security mechanisms to tackle malnutrition and
build resilience.
● Make disaster management robust and capable of preventing, managing and restoring normalcy
as soon as possible.

Way Forward

Though, food production has been increasing steadily-climate change induced nutritive loss along with
losses associated with post harvest activities, processing and distribution have a profound influence on
food availability.
Thus, food and nutrition security for the growing population is likely to be more difficult to meet in the
rapidly changing future.

Limited access to nutrient dense crops/foods, decreased dietary diversity, together with higher
accessibility to less nutrient dense crops and intake of carbohydrate rich crops with reduced intake of
micronutrients have the potential to increase the prevalence of undernutrition and overweight among
children and mom communicable diseases among adults.

Heavy Metal Contamination In

Vegetables Grown In Peri-Urban Areas
Context

The demand for food is increasing manifold, with increase in population and to meet this demand, we
need to ensure food security in the long run.

Vegetables are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, antioxidants and fibres and constitute an
important part of diet because of their dietary benefits and affordability.Though, long-term consumption
of vegetables contaminated with pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides residues poses a serious risk
to health.

As we know, metals such as copper, zinc, manganese, iron, cobalt and molybdenum are required in trace
quantities by plants and are necessary for the normal growth and functioning of human and animal bodies,
metals such as arsenic, antimony, cadmium, lead, mercury, and tin are non-essential and toxic in nature.

Heavy metal exposure can lead to severe diseases such as cardiovascular and neurological disorders,
kidney and bone diseases, disruption of hormonal balance, growth impairment and abnormalities in
children etc.

These metals could reach food chain through various biochemical process and ultimately biomagnified in
various trophic levels and eventually threaten the health of humans. The contamination of soil and
vegetables by heavy metals is also a global environmental issue.

They are ubiquitous in the environment through various pathways, due to natural and anthropogenic
activities. Under certain environmental conditions metals may accumulate to toxic concentration and they
cause ecological damage.
In India, the possible sources of metal contamination in vegetables are wastewater irrigation and sewage
sludge, geological sources, mining and smelting activities, increased use of agrochemicals, irrigation
sources such as polluted river water, atmospheric deposition, waste dumping and effluent discharges into
open or kaccha drains etc.

Heavy Metal Contamination in Vegetables Grown in Peri-Urban Areas in India

India is undergoing a rapid shift from an agriculture-based economy to an industry and service based
economy, due to this shift there has been a massive increase in anthropogenic activities which contribute
to contamination in food.

In India, fresh vegetables in urban areas are mostly sourced on a small scale from peri-urban areas,
providing an important source of income for peri-urban farmers.

Large volumes of wastewater generated from industrial and residential areas of these large towns flow
untreated or only partially treated into the environment, which is than used for irrigation in peri-urban
vegetable patches due to the rising scarcity of clean freshwater sources in these areas.

Also, farmers consider wastewater as a cost-effective source of irrigation as compared to conventional

systems.

With rapid growth of urban populations, large volumes of wastewater are generated every day, which is
about 61,948 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage.

In cities and peri-urban areas near industrial clusters the large volumes of wastewater generated are
discharged through open or kachha drains which usually do not have adequate lining or boundaries. These
open drains flow directly into rivers, polluting them and making them unfit for irrigation and other
domestic uses. Such practices also pollute the groundwater through percolation or leaching and
contaminate the soil where vegetables and other food crops are produced.

What are Peri Urban Area?

Peri-urban areas can be described as fringe areas of cities or adjoining rural areas, which are intrinsically
linked with the city economy, experience constant transformation, and are characterised by a mix of rural
and urban activities.
 Figure : Example of Peri Urban Area

What are the best mitigation and management measures :

● Regular monitoring of soil-vegetable systems;

● Better control of the overuse of agrochemicals;
● Use of treated wastewater for irrigation;
● Proper treatment of effluents/wastewater before discharge followed by discharge in well designed
drainage systems to restrict percolation and overflow into agricultural fields;
● Remediation through low-cost technologies/ ecotechnologies in highly contaminated fields or
avoidance of cultivation in such fields;
● Restriction on waste dumping in open fields; and,
● Filtration/treatment system in industrial units releasing air pollutants containing heavy metal
pollutants

Way Forward

There is currently a lack of awareness about food safety related to heavy metals and other such
contaminants in raw vegetables, which can be taken care of through the following measures,

● Farmers in the peri-urban areas should be informed about the harms of using sewage and
industrial wastewater for irrigation.
● In addition, consumers need to be made aware of the risks of consuming contaminated food. In
India the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is the overarching authority that consolidates laws
related to food safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
 ● Collaborative efforts by government and non-government agencies and the public at large
(including farmers) can address the challenge of food contamination.
● Regular monitoring and availability of sufficient scientific data may help prevent heavy metals
contamination in vegetables and other food crops.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1.
Consider the following statements :

1. Hidden hunger is a lack of vitamins and minerals.

2. Hidden hunger occurs when the quality of food people eat does not meet the nutrient
requirements.
3. Essential nutrients are compounds that the body can’t make or can’t make in sufficient quantity

Select the correct statement using the code given below :

(a) 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution:

(d)

Explanation

● Hidden hunger is a lack of vitamins and minerals, ​hence statement 1 is correct.

● Hidden hunger occurs when the quality of food people eat does not meet their nutrient
requirements, so the food is deficient in micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals that they
need for their growth and development,​ thus statement 2 is correct.
● Women and children in families with low-income often don’t get enough vitamin A, iodine and
iron, and sometimes other essential nutrients. this limits their growth, development, health and
working capacity.
● Ensuring people get vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients will help prevent malnutrition,
hence statement 3 is also correct.

Hence, all statements are correct.

2.

Consider the following statements regarding the impact of climate change :

 1. It will give rise to extreme weather events like drought and flood thus increasing food insecurity
and under-nutrition.
2. Impact on agriculture will affect food prices making it unaffordable for large sections of the
population.
3. It may lead to rise in consumption of processed and unhealthy food leading to obesity.

Select the correct statement using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) None of the above

Solution

(c)

Explanation :

According to the Global Syndemic of Obesity, undernutrition, and Climate Change: The Lancet
Commission Report,
● Climate change will increase under-nutrition through increased food insecurity by giving rising to
extreme weather events such as droughts and floods.
● The impact on agriculture will affect prices of basic food commodities, especially fruits and
vegetables, potentially increasing consumption of processed and unhealthy foods thus resulting in
obesity.
● The report terms the interplay of obesity, undernutrition and climate change The Global
Syndemic stating that this is the greatest threat to human and planetary health.

Hence, all statements are correct.

3.

Which among the following are not the benefits of food fortification?

(a) It does not require any changes in food habits and patterns of people. It is a socio-culturally
acceptable way to deliver nutrients to people.
(b) It can be implemented quickly as well as show results in improvement of health in a relatively
short period of time.
(c) It always alters the characteristics of the food i.e. the taste, the feel, the look.
(d) It requires an initial investment to purchase both the equipment and the vitamin and mineral
premix, but overall costs of fortification are extremely low
Solution

(c)

Explanation :

● Fortification is the addition of key vitamins and minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, Vitamin A &
D to staple foods such as rice, milk and salt to improve their nutritional content. These nutrients
may or may not have been originally present in the food before processing.
● It does not require any changes in food habits and patterns of people. It is a socio-culturally
acceptable way to deliver nutrients to people and does not alter the characteristics of the
food—the taste, the feel, the look.

Hence, option (c) is incorrect.

4.

Improvisation

With reference to 'Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion', which of the
following statements is/are correct?

1. This initiative aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies, and to
demonstrate value addition techniques, in an integrated manner, with cluster approach.
2. The Scheme through processing and value addition techniques is expected to generate consumer
demand for millet based food products.
3. An important objective of the scheme is to encourage farmers of commercial crops to shift to
millet cultivation by offering them free kits of critical inputs of nutrients and micro irrigation
equipment.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution

(c)

Explanation

Government has announced an allocation of Rs. 300 crores in 2011-12 under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
for promotion of millets as Nutri-cereals.
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 Scheme on Initiative for Nutrition Security through Intensive Millets Promotion has been formulated to
operationalize the announcement.

● The scheme aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies in an
integrated manner with visible impact to catalyze increased production of millets in the country,
hence statement 1 is correct.
● Besides increasing production of millets, the Scheme through processing and value addition
techniques is expected to generate consumer demand for millet based food products and also it
will help poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers,​ hence statement 2 is correct.
● A key feature of INSIMP is giving input kits, comprising urea and pesticides; costing Rs
2,000-3,000 depending on the type of crop; and seed kits, comprising hybrid seeds to the farmers,
hence statement 3 is incorrect.
● These kits are supplied by nodal agencies in a state, and are, in turn, procured from various
manufacturers

Hence, only statement 1 and 2 are correct.

5.

Improvisation

Which of the following is/are the indicator/indicators used by IFPRI to compute the Global Hunger Index
Report?

1. Child Wasting
2. Child stunting
3. Child mortality

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 , 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 3 only

Solution

(c)

Explanation

Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at global, regional,
and national levels.

To reflect the multidimensional nature of hunger, the GHI combines the following four component indicators
into one index:
 ● UNDERNOURISHMENT​: the share of the population that is undernourished (that is, whose
caloric intake is insufficient);
● CHILD WASTING​: the share of children under the age of five who are wasted (that is, who
have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition);
● CHILD STUNTING: the share of children under the age of five who are stunted (that is, who
have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition); and
● CHILD MORTALITY: the mortality rate of children under the age of five (in part, a reflection
of the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments).

Hence, all statements are correct.

SUBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

1. How can Indian farmers adapt to the negative impacts of climate change and at the same time
maintain optimum crop production?
2. ‘Climate change has added to the enormity of India’s food security challenges’ Analyze.
3. ‘The implications associated with metal contamination are of great concern, particularly in
agricultural production systems’ Critically discuss what are the issues and reasons associated with
heavy metal contamination especially in Peri-Urban Areas of India.
4. ‘The dramatic progress in India's economy in recent decades has not been matched by equally
impressive achievements in child malnutrition’ Comment.
5. ‘Poshan Abhiyaan identifies key messages that need to be reinforced for improving the status of
nutrition’ Discuss.