Global Hunger Index: 2021
Recently the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021 was released, in which India’s ranking has dropped to 101st place.
The GHI is used to measure and monitor hunger levels at the global, regional and national levels. The score is determined using four parameters (under-nutrition, child wasting, child stunting and child mortality) under the GHI.
The GHI is published by Concern World Wide (international humanitarian organization) and Weldhungerhilf (private aid organization in Germany).
Key points of the report
- In recent years, conflict, climate change and COVID-19 have posed a threat to any progress made to address hunger.
- Somalia has the highest level of starvation. 18 countries including China, Brazil and Kuwait are among the top countries.
Results related to India:
- India is ranked 101st (94th in 2020), behind Pakistan (92), Bangladesh (76) and Nepal (76).
- Wasting (low weight to height) among children has increased from 17.1% between 1998 and 2002 to 17.3% between 2016 and 2020.
- Indicators such as child mortality rate (under 5 years), the prevalence of stunting and the prevalence of malnutrition due to inadequate feeding have shown improvement.
- Responding to the GHI, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said “India’s ranking has been downgraded based on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report dealing with serious system issues.” It should be noted that the ‘FAO Report’ is used to assess under-nutrition in the GHI.
Structure of the Global Hunger Index:
It has 4 main indicators
- Inadequate food supply (under nutrition)
- It measures important indicators of insufficient food supply and hunger, which refer to the entire population of both children and adults.
- It is used as a leading indicator for global targets on vulnerability, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Child mortality rate (mortality rate of children below five years of age)
- The most serious consequence of starvation is death and most of the children are susceptible to it.
- It improves the efficiency of GHI by counteracting micronutrient deficiencies.
- Wasting and stunting are only marginally associated with mortality from under-nutrition.
Child under-nutrition
- Child Wasting & 4. Child Stunting
It considers aspects of food quality and consumption beyond the availability of calories. Children in particular are vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies.
Source – The Hindu