Context

• COVID-19 has exacerbated the problem of child hunger and malnutrition

Pressing issues related to malnutrition

• The report of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020, released by the Food and Agriculture Organization in partnership with other UN organisations, painted a worrying picture. 
• A real-time monitoring tool estimated that as of April 2020, the peak of school closures, 369 million children globally were losing out on school meals, a bulk of whom were in India.
• The recent Global Hunger Index (GHI) report for 2020 ranks India at 94 out of 107 countries and in the category ‘serious’, behind our neighbours Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. 
• We are far out in terms of achieving the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal.
• A report by the International Labour Organization and the UNICEF, on COVID-19 and child labour, cautions that unless school services and social security are universally strengthened, there is a risk that some children may not even return to schools when they reopen.

About Mid Day Meal Scheme

• The Mid Day Meal Scheme was launched in the year 1995 as a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Human Resource and Development.
• The scheme provides that every child within the age group of six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII who enrolls and attends the school, shall be provided hot cooked meal having nutritional standards of 450 calories and 12 gm of protein for primary (I- V class) and 700 calories and 20 gm protein for upper primary (VI-VIII class) including adequate quantities of micronutrients like iron, folic acid, Vitamin-A, etc., free of charge every day except on school holidays.
• The scheme covers all government and government aided schools and also Madarsa and Maqtabs supported under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.

Significance of MDMS 

• This is approximately one-third of the nutritional requirement of the child.
• Many research reports, and even the Joint Review Mission of MDMS, 2015-16 noted that many children reach school on an empty stomach, making the school’s mid-day meal a major source of nutrition for children, particularly those from vulnerable communities.

Recent orders  

• In orders in March and April 2020, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and closure of schools, the Government of India announced that the usual hot-cooked mid-day meal or an equivalent food security allowance/dry ration would be provided to all eligible school-going children even during vacation, to ensure that their immunity and nutrition is not compromised. 
• Nearly three months into this decision, States were still struggling to implement this.

Status of MDMS implementation during pandemic

• According to the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) food grain bulletin, the offtake of grains under MDMS from FCI during April and May, 2020 was 22% lower than the corresponding offtake during April and May, 2019.
• There were 23 States and Union Territories that reported a decline in the grain offtake from FCI in April-May 2020, compared with corresponding months in 2019. 
• Data and media reports indicate that dry ration distributions in lieu of school meals are irregular. 
• Serving hot meals, at the children’s homes or even at the centre, may have challenges in the present scenario. Even States like Tamil Nadu, with a relatively good infrastructure for the MDMS, are unable to serve the mandated ‘hot cooked meal’ during the lockdown.

Innovative strategies

Decentralised models

• The COVID-19 crisis has brought home the need for such decentralised models and local supply chains.
• A livelihood model that links local smallholder farmers with the mid-day meal system for the supply of cereals, vegetables, and eggs, while meeting protein and hidden hunger needs, which could diversify production and farming systems, transform rural livelihoods and the local economy, and fulfill the ‘Atmanirbhar Poshan’ (nutritional self-sufficiency) agenda. 

School Nutrition Garden

• Ensuring the functionality of initiatives such as the School Nutrition (Kitchen) Garden under MDMS provide fresh vegetables for mid-day meals is necessary.

Distribute meals during pandemic too

• Hot meals can be provided to eligible children with a plan to prepare and distribute the meal in the school mid-day meal centre which is similar to free urban canteens or community kitchens for the elderly and others in distress in States like Odisha. Also adequate awareness of the availability of the scheme is needed. 

Empowering local farmers

• Locally produced vegetables and fruits may be added to the MDMS which provides an income to local farmers. Besides, distribution of eggs where feasible can be carried out. 

Retrospective effect

• The missed mid-day meal entitlement for April may be provided to children as dry ration with retrospective effect.

Conclusion

• With continuing uncertainty regarding the reopening of schools, innovation is required to ensure that not just food, but nutrition is delivered regularly to millions of children.

For information about the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 report refer pulse edition

For information about Global Hunger Index refer pulse edition

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-nutrition-fallout-of-school-closures/article33007453.ece