World Hunger Day 28th May

Solution for hunger lies in proper distribution

The biggest enemy within – the hunger of millions

India has failed to address unpardonable sin of letting the bumper crops and huge dumps of grains rot, when millions of Indians battle with endemic hunger and lack of access of food

World Food Summit 1996 defined food security as access to sufficient, safe and nutrition food to maintain healthy and active life

Global Hunger Index released by International Food Policy Research Institute ranks India at 66^th position out of 88 most vulnerable countries

Farmers are the most who face food crisis. The main reason is the negligence by the economy to agricultural sector and continuous subsidization of manufacturing and service sector at the cost of primary sector

In years 2009-10 2010-11 and 2011-12, country has seen record grain production. If this has been procured and distributed efficiently it would have been sufficient to provide enough calories for the whole population. But there is poor procurement, wastage of millions of tons of food grains that will rot in railway yards, FCI godowns across the country

Facts and figures proclaim surplus, but government is making hunger and low production the reasons for pushing up a series of techno-fix solutions. We see solutions in Northern style Agro-Business Corporations which rose as a result of Green Revolution. This model propagated across the county, spelt rapid depletion of the natural resources for farming – soil, water and biodiversity and resulted in indebted farmers and bad results for health

GM crops introduced are controversial all over the world. One main reason is shifting of control of seeds and fertilizers to MNC s and corporate intermediaries because of the patents and royalties along with this health risks to humans and evolution of new pests and diseases. So, question is what ensures us about the potential disasters to life and environment, when they emerge a decade or so later?

Increasing production is not the only solution for hunger in unequal society

We need to ensure that people in agriculture lead to economically secure society. A rationally calculated minimal support price is non-negotiable. Agricultural labors and farmers must have purchasing power for their own food security needs

Campaign of Universal Food Entitlement through PDS is must. Undistributed grains must be moved to people immediately. Increase Universal Allocation under Food Bill

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