By – Aatmaja Mishra
India, the world’s second-most populous country, has long faced challenges in ensuring food security for its vast and diverse population. Over the decades, successive governments have implemented various policies to tackle hunger, malnutrition, and the complex task of providing affordable food to millions. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has seen significant strides in reshaping its food security framework, expanding access, and improving delivery systems. This article explores how Modi’s government has played a pivotal role in shaping food security in India, through both innovative policies and large-scale programs.
The Concept of Food Security in India: A Snapshot
Food security in India is not just about having enough food but also about ensuring that food is accessible, nutritious, and available year-round. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines food security as existing “when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.” For India, where over 200 million people remain undernourished, achieving this vision has been a continuous struggle, impacted by factors like population growth, climate change, rural poverty, and agricultural challenges.
The FAO’s definition of food security emphasizes that it is not just about food availability but also about ensuring that people have continuous, reliable access to food that is safe and nutritious. This vision has been particularly difficult to realize in India due to a number of systemic and structural issues, including population growth, changing climate patterns, economic inequality, and challenges within India’s agricultural sector.
India’s population has surged to over 1.4 billion, intensifying pressure on food production systems. However, agricultural output has not always kept pace with the demand. Traditional farming methods, small farm sizes, and outdated technologies further hamper productivity. At the same time, farmers often face unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change, making food production highly vulnerable to droughts, floods, and other extreme events.
Additionally, rural poverty, which affects more than 20% of the population, exacerbates food insecurity. Many people in rural areas depend on agriculture for their livelihood, and fluctuations in crop yield or prices can lead to severe food shortages. This vulnerability is further intensified by high unemployment rates, low wages, and lack of access to essential social services.
In light of these challenges, food security in India requires a holistic approach that addresses not only the availability of food but also the affordability, accessibility, and nutritional value of the food supply for all citizens.
Modi’s Early Interventions in Food Security
When Narendra Modi assumed office in May 2014, the need for comprehensive reforms to tackle food security in India was more pressing than ever. His government took several critical steps to address these issues and build a more robust food security system.
- The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): A Shield for Farmers
Agricultural distress has been one of the primary drivers of food insecurity in India. The crop insurance program, launched in 2016, was a bold initiative to reduce farmers’ vulnerability to weather shocks, pests, and diseases. The PMFBY provides farmers with affordable insurance to cover their crops, ensuring compensation in case of crop failure. This move was not only aimed at stabilizing farmers’ incomes but also at encouraging them to continue production, which is vital for food security in a country that heavily relies on agriculture.
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), is one of the key initiatives aimed at mitigating the risks faced by Indian farmers, thereby enhancing agricultural stability and, by extension, food security. Agricultural distress, particularly due to unpredictable weather patterns, pests, and diseases, has long been a major contributor to food insecurity in India. Farmers are often left vulnerable to these external shocks, which can result in crop failures and financial losses, further exacerbating the issue of hunger and malnutrition in rural areas.
The PMFBY addresses these concerns by providing affordable crop insurance, which safeguards farmers against such adversities. Under the scheme, farmers can ensure their crops at a low premium, and in the event of crop loss due to natural calamities, pests, or diseases, they are entitled to compensation. This support helps stabilize their income, ensuring that even if their crops fail, they have some financial cushion to rely on. This is crucial for the long-term sustainability of farming, as it reduces farmers’ dependence on informal or high-interest loans to recover from crop loss.
One of the most significant benefits of PMFBY is that it helps encourage farmers to continue with agricultural production despite the inherent risks. In a country like India, where a large portion of the population relies on agriculture for their livelihood, the continuity of farming practices is essential to maintain food supply. By offering a safety net, the scheme not only protects individual farmers but also contributes to national food security, as it helps ensure consistent agricultural output.
Furthermore, the PMFBY has been instrumental in fostering a more resilient agricultural system. With improved financial security, farmers are more likely to invest in modern farming techniques, better seeds, and improved irrigation systems, which can increase crop yields and further enhance food production. This initiative aligns with the broader goal of achieving a stable, food-secure India, where agricultural growth can keep pace with the needs of a growing population.
In short, PMFBY is not just an insurance scheme but a fundamental step towards building a more secure, productive, and resilient agricultural sector that forms the backbone of India’s food security strategy.
- The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): Direct Income Support
Launched in December 2018 and rolled out in 2019, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a crucial scheme that aims to provide direct financial support to smallholder farmers across India. Under this program, eligible farmers receive ₹6,000 annually in three equal instalments, which is directly credited into their bank accounts. This initiative is designed to alleviate the financial burden on farmers, particularly those with small landholdings, by providing them with much-needed income support.
India’s agriculture sector faces several challenges, including rising input costs, unpredictable weather patterns, and low market prices for crops. For small-scale farmers, who often do not have access to large-scale credit facilities, these challenges can become overwhelming. As a result, many farmers turn to informal, high-interest loans, which can trap them in a cycle of debt, further exacerbating their economic vulnerability.
PM-KISAN was introduced to break this cycle. By providing a direct cash transfer, the scheme helps farmers meet their immediate financial needs, such as buying seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs required for their crops. This support also reduces farmers’ dependency on informal lenders, offering them more financial independence and a cushion against the volatility of the agricultural sector.
The program is part of the broader effort to enhance agricultural productivity and improve food security in India. When farmers have better access to financial resources, they are more likely to invest in improving their farming practices. This could involve adopting modern technologies, improving irrigation systems, or even diversifying their crops, all of which contribute to higher agricultural yields and more reliable food production.
Moreover, PM-KISAN helps ensure that farmers receive regular, predictable income support, which can significantly improve their overall economic stability. The direct cash transfer system also aims to streamline the disbursement process and ensure that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries without delays or corruption, as funds are transferred directly into the farmers’ bank accounts.
In the broader context of food security, PM-KISAN plays a vital role in boosting the productivity and sustainability of India’s agricultural sector. By empowering farmers economically, the scheme contributes to ensuring a stable and continuous food supply, which is crucial for feeding India’s ever-growing population.
The National Food Security Act (NFSA): Strengthening the Safety Net
The National Food Security Act (NFSA), passed in 2013, was a major step towards ensuring food security for millions of people in India. The Act aimed to provide subsidized food grains to around two-thirds of the country’s population, targeting vulnerable groups such as low-income families, women, children, and the elderly. Under the NFSA, beneficiaries receive a fixed quantity of food grains—5 kilograms per person per month—at highly subsidized prices. This includes essential staples such as rice, wheat, and coarse grains, ensuring that those facing economic hardships can access basic food.
Although the NFSA was introduced by the UPA government, the Modi government made important strides in strengthening and expanding its impact. One of the key features of the government’s approach has been improving the efficiency and reach of the system, ensuring that more people benefit from the program and that food grains reach the intended recipients.
A pivotal moment in the evolution of the NFSA came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As the country faced a nationwide lockdown, millions of people, especially migrant workers and daily wage earners, found themselves without income or access to food. In response to this crisis, the Modi government launched the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), which aimed to provide emergency relief. Under this scheme, free food grains were distributed to over 80 crore (800 million) people, ensuring that no one went hungry during the lockdown. The expansion of the NFSA during this period, through PMGKY, provided a safety net during one of the most challenging times in recent history.
The impact of NFSA and its extensions has been profound. It has significantly reduced hunger and food insecurity among the poorest sections of the population, especially in rural areas where poverty is most prevalent. By offering highly subsidized food, the government has not only ensured that people have access to the necessary nutrients but has also shielded vulnerable groups from rising food prices, making food more affordable.
Another crucial aspect of the NFSA is its role in improving the Public Distribution System (PDS). Through digitalization, Aadhaar linking, and biometric authentication, the Modi government has worked to streamline the distribution process, reducing corruption and ensuring that the food reaches the beneficiaries without diversion or leakage. These technological advances have also helped in the efficient identification and targeting of eligible beneficiaries, ensuring transparency in the delivery of food.
In summary, the NFSA, strengthened by additional schemes like PMGKY, has played a central role in India’s food security strategy under Modi’s government. It has not only ensured that food reaches the poorest families but has also been pivotal during national emergencies, providing critical support when it was most needed.
The Role of Technology and Data in Ensuring Food Security
Under Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Indian government has made significant strides in using technology to enhance food security, with a focus on improving the efficiency and transparency of food distribution. One of the most important areas where technology has been applied is in the digitization of the Public Distribution System (PDS). The PDS is a crucial mechanism through which subsidized food grains are distributed to the poor. However, for years, it suffered from inefficiencies and corruption, where food grains would often be diverted or leak out before reaching the intended recipients.
The government took a transformative step to address these issues by digitizing the PDS. By linking the distribution system to digital platforms, it was able to track the movement of food grains from warehouses to the point of sale, ensuring that the entire process was more transparent. Aadhaar-linked biometric authentication and e-POS (electronic point of sale) devices have made it possible to identify beneficiaries and authenticate their claims with greater accuracy. This has reduced the potential for fraud, where fake or duplicate beneficiaries might have previously siphoned off supplies meant for others. The use of these technologies has ensured that the food reaches the right people in the right quantity.
Another landmark reform in this area has been the introduction of the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ (ONORC) scheme in 2019. The idea behind ONORC is to allow people to access subsidized food grains from any ration shop in the country, regardless of where they are registered. This scheme was particularly beneficial for migrant workers, who often travel long distances in search of work. Before ONORC, migrant workers faced significant barriers to food security as they could only collect their subsidized grains from ration shops in their home states, leaving them without access to food in cities or states where they had migrated for employment.
With ONORC, migrant workers and their families can now obtain food from any ration shop in the country using their Aadhaar-linked ration cards, breaking down the geographic barriers to food access. This has been particularly crucial for millions of low-income families who previously struggled to access their entitled food rations while living in different parts of the country.
The use of technology and data in these reforms has brought about several key benefits:
Increased transparency: Digital tracking and authentication reduce corruption and ensure that food grains are distributed according to the needs of the population.
Efficiency: Technology has streamlined the logistics of food distribution, reduced delays and ensuring a steady supply of grains to beneficiaries.
Access for all: Programs like ONORC have expanded the reach of food security initiatives to even the most mobile populations, ensuring that no one is left behind, especially in times of migration or crisis.
Together, these technological innovations have not only improved the efficiency of food distribution but have also made the system more inclusive and equitable, providing relief to the most vulnerable sections of society. The Modi government’s commitment to leveraging technology has paved the way for a more robust and fair food security system in India.
Promoting Nutritional Security: From Food Grains to Balanced Diets
While access to basic food grains is crucial, Modi’s government has also made strides to promote nutritional security, with a focus on diversifying diets and improving the quality of food. Several initiatives have been launched to address malnutrition, especially among children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
- The POSHAN Abhiyaan: Fighting Malnutrition
In 2018, the government launched the National Nutrition Mission, also known as POSHAN Abhiyaan, with the aim of reducing malnutrition among children, women, and adolescents. The initiative focuses on providing better nutrition education, improving the delivery of health and nutritional services, and creating community-level awareness. This comprehensive approach to addressing both undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies marks a significant shift towards achieving broader nutritional security.
Key Components of POSHAN Abhiyaan:
Nutrition Education and Awareness: One of the central aspects of POSHAN Abhiyaan is improving nutrition education at the grassroots level. This involves educating communities, especially in rural areas, about the importance of a balanced diet, the dangers of malnutrition, and the need for micronutrient-rich foods. Awareness campaigns are designed to encourage healthier eating habits, particularly among mothers, to ensure better prenatal and postnatal care, as well as better infant feeding practices.
Improving Service Delivery: The initiative aims to improve the delivery of health and nutrition services through better integration of various government schemes like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the National Health Mission (NHM), and others. POSHAN Abhiyaan focuses on enhancing the effectiveness of these programs, particularly in delivering services to the most vulnerable communities, such as rural, tribal, and marginalized groups. This includes improving access to maternal and child healthcare, supplements, and regular health check-ups for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children under five.
Convergence of Various Government Programs: POSHAN Abhiyaan emphasizes convergence between multiple sectors—health, nutrition, sanitation, and education. By working together, these sectors can create a more comprehensive approach to addressing malnutrition. For instance, improving sanitation and hygiene alongside better nutrition education can prevent diseases like diarrhea, which exacerbate malnutrition.
Focus on Monitoring and Data Collection: To track progress and measure outcomes, the POSHAN Abhiyaan utilizes modern data collection tools and monitoring mechanisms. Real-time data is gathered from across the country, allowing the government to evaluate the effectiveness of its initiatives and make adjustments where necessary. This data-driven approach ensures that interventions are targeted and timely.
Community and Grassroots-Level Involvement: POSHAN Abhiyaan is designed to be a community-driven program, encouraging participation from local communities, women’s groups, self-help groups, and frontline workers like Anganwadi (childcare) workers and ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists). The success of the mission is heavily reliant on these community workers, who play a key role in educating families, monitoring health indicators, and spreading awareness on the ground.
Addressing Micronutrient Deficiencies: Malnutrition in India is often not just about a lack of food, but the lack of essential micronutrients. The POSHAN Abhiyaan focuses on improving dietary diversity and ensuring that children, women, and adolescents have access to foods rich in micronutrients like iron, folic acid, vitamin A, and iodine. The government has worked on initiatives such as food fortification, providing supplements, and increasing the availability of fortified food items through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
By focusing on both undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, POSHAN Abhiyaan has taken a more holistic approach to nutrition than previous programs. It recognizes that food alone is not enough; the body needs a balanced intake of nutrients for proper growth, development, and health. The comprehensive approach—incorporating education, service delivery, policy implementation, and data monitoring—marks a significant shift towards achieving long-term nutritional security.
- Fortification of Staples: Enhancing Micronutrient Intake
Fortification of food staples, such as rice, wheat, and oil, has also been promoted under Modi’s tenure to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies. Fortified rice, for example, has been distributed through the PDS in several states to provide vital nutrients like iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12. This strategy is particularly beneficial in combating anemia and other micronutrient deficiencies that disproportionately affect India’s rural and impoverished populations.
Fortification of Rice and Wheat:
One of the most impactful initiatives has been the fortification of rice. Rice is a staple food for a large majority of the Indian population, and fortifying it with vital micronutrients like iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 has the potential to reach millions of people. In several states, rice fortified with these nutrients has been included in the Public Distribution System (PDS), which is the government’s food assistance program. By distributing fortified rice through PDS, the government ensures that people living in poverty—especially in rural areas—have access to these essential nutrients, helping to address the high levels of iron deficiency anemia and related health problems.
In addition to rice, fortified wheat flour has also been distributed in certain regions, providing an accessible source of key micronutrients. These fortification programs are designed to be cost-effective, so they do not significantly raise the price of food, which is crucial in a country where many families live on tight budgets.
Fortification of Edible Oils:
Another important step has been the fortification of edible oils. Vitamin A and vitamin D are commonly added to cooking oils like soybean, sunflower, and groundnut oils. These vitamins are crucial for maintaining immune function, promoting healthy vision, and ensuring bone health. Edible oils are widely used in Indian cooking, making them an ideal vehicle for delivering these nutrients on a national scale. As with rice and wheat, fortifying oils helps to provide essential vitamins to a broad population without requiring any change in consumer behaviour.
Benefits of Staple Food Fortification:
Addressing Widespread Micronutrient Deficiencies: Fortification directly targets hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiencies) by providing essential nutrients that are often missing in the diet of low-income families. It is particularly effective in reducing anemia, especially among women and children.
Cost-Effective and Scalable: Fortification is a relatively low-cost intervention that can be scaled across the entire country. Since staples like rice, wheat, and oil are consumed daily by large segments of the population, fortifying them ensures that the nutrients reach millions of people without requiring major changes to food consumption patterns.
Improved Public Health Outcomes: By addressing micronutrient deficiencies, fortification programs have the potential to improve a range of health outcomes. These include reducing the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia, enhancing cognitive development in children, and improving overall immune function.
Sustainable Long-Term Solution: Since the fortified foods are distributed through the PDS and sold at subsidized rates, they are a sustainable way of ensuring that poor and vulnerable populations have consistent access to nutritious foods.
Under Modi’s government, this initiative is transforming the way nutrition is addressed in India, helping millions of people who might otherwise suffer from deficiencies. It is an essential tool in India’s broader food security strategy, aimed not just at ensuring food availability, but also at improving the nutritional quality of the food that people eat.
The Future of Food Security in India
Looking to the future, food security in India faces a number of evolving challenges, particularly as the population continues to grow, climate change impacts agriculture, and the demand for food escalates. The government’s strategies, under Modi’s leadership, have been proactive in addressing these concerns, but the path ahead will require sustained focus and adaptation to emerging issues.
Challenges Posed by Population Growth and Climate Change
India’s population is expected to continue growing in the coming decades, adding more pressure on food production systems. A larger population means more mouths to feed, and the need for food security becomes even more critical. Along with population growth, climate change is one of the biggest threats to food security. Unpredictable weather patterns, extreme temperatures, water scarcity, and shifting rainfall patterns are already affecting crop yields, especially in regions reliant on rain-fed agriculture. With these changes, farmers face more frequent crop failures, reduced productivity, and increased vulnerability to climate-related risks.
The Monsoon patterns are becoming erratic, and heatwaves, flooding, and droughts are increasingly common. These unpredictable weather changes not only jeopardize crop production but also affect the stability of the food supply chain, leading to food shortages, price hikes, and, in some cases, an increase in food insecurity.
Enhancing Agricultural Resilience
To meet the demands of a growing population while adapting to climate change, enhancing agricultural resilience is key. The government has introduced several programs, such as the Soil Health Card Scheme and the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, aimed at improving soil quality, promoting sustainable farming practices, and increasing productivity without exhausting natural resources. These initiatives encourage farmers to adopt climate-resilient crops, organic farming, and water-efficient technologies, ensuring that agriculture remains viable and productive in the face of changing environmental conditions.
The Soil Health Card Scheme, for example, helps farmers understand the specific nutrient needs of their soil and provides guidance on how to improve soil health, reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers. This not only improves agricultural productivity but also ensures long-term soil fertility, which is essential for food security in the future.
Moreover, the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture focuses on promoting sustainable farming techniques, enhancing water-use efficiency, and encouraging crop diversification. These measures ensure that farmers can produce more food while conserving resources, making agriculture more sustainable and resilient to climate shocks.
Equitable Access to Food
Ensuring equitable access to food is crucial as India’s population grows and diversifies. Food security is not just about the availability of food, but also about accessibility and affordability. Programs like the National Food Security Act (NFSA) have made substantial progress in providing subsidized food to the most vulnerable populations. However, as the economy grows and urbanization increases, food security policies will need to adapt to ensure that marginalized and low-income groups continue to receive adequate nutrition.
In addition to food availability, improving access to nutritionally balanced diets remains a priority. Hidden hunger, caused by deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, continues to affect millions in India. Addressing this requires an emphasis on nutrient-dense foods, fortification programs, and improving nutrition education to ensure that the population is not just consuming enough food, but also the right kinds of food.
Improving Agricultural Productivity
While food production is central to food security, increasing agricultural productivity is key to meeting the growing demand for food. The government has invested in improving the agricultural sector through technological advancements, better irrigation systems, and increased access to credit and insurance. Programs like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) provide crop insurance, giving farmers financial support in case of crop failure, and encouraging them to continue production despite the risks. These initiatives are vital in helping farmers stay financially stable while improving their output.
Furthermore, modern agricultural technologies such as precision farming, genetically modified crops, and advanced irrigation techniques can help improve yields while reducing the environmental footprint of farming. These technologies, alongside government efforts to promote them, are essential for increasing food production sustainably.
Addressing Chronic and Hidden Hunger
Finally, addressing both chronic hunger and hidden hunger is critical. Chronic hunger, often linked to poverty and lack of access to food, remains a persistent challenge. Hidden hunger, which refers to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals that do not necessarily result in obvious signs of malnutrition but can cause long-term health issues, needs to be tackled through fortification, better access to diverse foods, and public health interventions.
Programs like the POSHAN Abhiyaan are playing an essential role in improving nutrition across India. By promoting better dietary habits, improving maternal and child health, and focusing on micronutrient supplementation, the government is laying the groundwork for healthier generations.
As the country moves toward a more sustainable and resilient food system, it is imperative that policies continue to evolve in line with emerging challenges. The focus must remain on improving agricultural productivity, ensuring equitable access to food, and addressing both chronic hunger and hidden hunger caused by poor nutrition.
Concluding Remarks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has undeniably played a transformative role in shaping the trajectory of food security in India. Through a combination of welfare programs, technological innovations, and initiatives focused on nutritional security, his administration has worked to address the multifaceted challenges of hunger, malnutrition, and food accessibility. While India has made remarkable strides in reducing food insecurity, the task of ensuring that every citizen has consistent access to nutritious and sufficient food remains a work in progress. As the nation continues to evolve, the ongoing commitment to strengthening food security will be crucial in achieving a healthier, more prosperous future for all.