CONTEXT 

• The political and social handling of the COVID-19 pandemic have added to the persisting issues of food insecurity faced by millions. 
• India, even prior to the novel coronavirus pandemic, has consistently been ranked poorly in all international rankings on hunger (ranking 102 among 117 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2019). 
• Now with the second, more vigorous wave of COVID-19, there lies the possibility of greater risk, especially to the poor.

DATA COLLECTION AND FINDINGS 

The Rapid Rural Community Response, or RCRC to COVID-19, provides crucial evidence of the nature and persistence of food and financial insecurity among the poor residing in rural areas.

Cutting down on food:

• The recent data suggest a persistence of cutting down on food, 40% during the first lockdown, while an alarming 25% reportedly continued to cut down on food during the most recent survey.
• Households reported cutting down on nutritious food — 80% cut down on milk, vegetables, pulses and oil (around 50% reported cutting down on pulses alone). 
• It was observed that the poorer, socially marginalised Dalits, and those with lesser access to food security schemes (such as migrants) faced more severe food insecurity. 
• These reductions will undoubtedly further accelerate the impending effects on children’s nutrition, as highlighted in the National Family Health Survey or NFHS-V (2019-20) and the Global Food Policy Report, 2021.
• The loss in nutrition may have come as a consequence of people losing their jobs and/or being pushed into lower income brackets over time due to the nature and handling of the pandemic.

Reduction in incomes:

• The middle class in India has shrunk by over 32 million households in the past year.

• There has been a downward shift in incomes even among a much poorer sample of households. 
• Survey suggests an over 70% reported reduction in incomes post the pandemic, with many falling into significant precarity. 
• Around 30% households were also seeking loans, and among them, at least half of them reported needing loans for food.

Migrants on the margins:

• The second wave of the pandemic comes on the back of an uneven recovery and persistence of crippling food and financial insecurity among the poorest households, especially migrants. 
• Migrants who have travelled to cities only months ago are again travelling back to their villages. 
• There was limited support for migrants even in existing social protection schemes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). 
• It is clear that households have not had a chance to rebuild, and with many completely exhausting their savings and facing massive debt, they are bound to be more severely hit than last year. 

FOOD SECURITY IS A MUST

The Government has promised to restart the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) with 5 kg of rice/wheat per person per month for the next two months. 

The government  needs to do more on following fronts:

• The government needs to provide similar support for stabler longer periods.
• Expand the current offering to include nutritious foods like pulses.
• Address issues faced in existing schemes such as MGNREGA (like delays in wages and rationing).
• New schemes such as a potential urban employment scheme should be explored.
• Food security schemes such as ration provided to children through anganwadis, Public Distribution System and mid-day meal scheme in primary schools need to be ramped up systematically and urgently. 
• For migrants stuck in cities without work, community kitchens (such as Amma canteens) are required. 

The most vulnerable will need more predictable and stable support than ever before.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/another-wave-spells-more-nutrition-loss/article34417436.ece