Context

• The global food system is undergoing immense strain from the twin pressures of resource depletion and climate change, even as it strives to ensure universal food accessibility and affordability.
• Nowhere is this tension more pronounced than in India, a nation that is simultaneously one of the world’s largest producers of milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, and livestock, yet still grapples with widespread malnutrition.
• From undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies to rising rates of obesity, India faces a complex nutritional crisis that threatens its demographic advantage and economic resilience.

The Paradox of India’s Nutritional Landscape

• Despite its agricultural prowess, India ranks 105th out of 127 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2024, reflecting deep-rooted food insecurity.
• The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted between 2019 and 2021, presents a stark picture: nearly 194 million Indians are undernourished.
• Among children under five, 35.5% are stunted, 32.1% underweight, and 19.3% suffer from wasting.
• In contrast, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising alarmingly, affecting 24% of women and 22.9% of men.
• Hidden hunger, nutrient deficiencies without obvious signs, remains widespread, as evidenced by the 57% anaemia rate among women of reproductive age.
• These dual burdens of malnutrition necessitate a holistic and urgent response.

A Global and National Crisis

• Globally, food system failures impose a staggering annual cost of nearly $12 trillion in terms of poor health, malnutrition, and environmental damage.
• For India, a country contending with a rapidly expanding population and heightened climate vulnerability, maintaining the status quo is no longer a viable option.
• Yet, amid this crisis lies an opportunity: transforming food systems to prioritise nutrition, environmental sustainability, and equity can not only improve national well-being but also accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Understanding the Perfect Storm of Malnutrition

• Modern food insecurity is no longer limited to hunger; it includes the entire spectrum of malnutrition, including diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
• Millions of Indians, including those who produce food, cannot afford a healthy diet.
• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 55.6% of Indians could not afford nutritious food in 2022, with costs rising from $2.86 per person per day in 2017 to $3.36 in 2022 (in purchasing power parity terms).
• Structural inefficiencies within the food system, such as poor crop diversity, post-harvest losses, and weak market linkages, exacerbate the problem, while climate change continues to undermine agricultural productivity, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods.
• Left unaddressed, this malnutrition crisis will hinder human capital development, inflate healthcare costs, and reduce economic productivity.

Pathways to Transformation

• India must adopt a multi-sectoral, coordinated strategy to build nutrition-sensitive, climate-resilient food systems.
• This transformation demands concerted efforts from government, private sector, civil society, and local communities.
• Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture: Agricultural policies should integrate nutrition goals by promoting the cultivation of climate-resilient, biofortified crops, enhancing crop diversity, and improving post-harvest systems to safeguard food quality and reduce losses.
• Community-Based Interventions, such as the Nutrition-Sensitive Community Planning (NSCP) model, empower local communities to address underlying determinants of malnutrition through bottom-up planning that encompasses water and soil conservation, sanitation, and healthcare access.
• Initiatives like Nutri-Pathshala combat child malnutrition by incorporating nutrient-rich grains in school meals and sourcing food from nearby farms, thus strengthening local economies.
• Strengthening Social Safety Nets is equally vital. Enhancing the Public Distribution System (PDS) and mid-day meal schemes with nutrient-rich indigenous foods, coupled with behavioural change campaigns promoting healthy diets, can ensure vulnerable populations gain better access to nutrition.
• Private Sector Participation is indispensable in this transformation.
  • Businesses must go beyond profit motives and prioritize health through clear food labelling, digital tools such as QR codes for nutritional information, and innovation in plant-based and fortified food products. Regulatory support and incentives can accelerate this shift.
• Climate-Smart Agriculture and Gender-Inclusive Policies are essential to bolster resilience.
  • Promoting sustainable farming practices, supporting rural economic diversification, and empowering women in agriculture can reduce nutritional vulnerability and support long-term adaptation to climate risks.
• Public Awareness and Education Campaigns must underpin all efforts. Grassroots tools such as interactive games (e.g., ‘MyPlate Blast Off’) and local radio can deliver crucial nutritional knowledge, especially in regions with limited digital infrastructure.

Place-Based Innovation: A Strategic Lever

• To achieve SDGs 2, 3, and 12, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-Being, and Responsible Consumption and Production, place-specific innovation is key.
• Research by TERI and the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) in the Himalayas has underscored the effectiveness of socio-technical innovation bundles.
• These include promoting region-specific, micronutrient-rich crops, decentralised food processing units, and local networks linking farmers, processors, and consumers.
• Such community-based ecosystems not only strengthen food security but also enhance regional self-reliance.

Conclusion

• The transformation of India’s food systems cannot succeed without leadership from the nutrition and public health sectors.
• Experts and policymakers must work together to embed nutrition into broader agricultural, economic, and social development planning.
• Initiatives like NSCP and Nutri-Pathshala exemplify how cross-sector collaboration can generate systemic, lasting change.
• Incremental adjustments will no longer suffice. A bold, structural overhaul of food systems is necessary.