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The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) has placed India in the 'serious' category, ranking it 105th out of 127 countries. This ranking highlights the significant challenge of hunger in India, a nation that continues to grapple with issues of undernourishment, child stunting, and wasting. The GHI, a tool used by international humanitarian agencies, utilizes indicators such as undernourishment and child mortality to measure and track hunger levels across the globe.
The report, published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, emphasizes the persistent high levels of hunger in numerous impoverished countries. While neighboring South Asian nations like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka exhibit better GHI scores and fall under the 'moderate' category, India shares the 'serious' category with Pakistan and Afghanistan. India's GHI score of 27.3 reflects the gravity of the situation, indicating a substantial prevalence of hunger within the country.
The report delves into the specific indicators that contribute to India's GHI score. A concerning 13.7% of the Indian population is considered undernourished, signifying a lack of sufficient caloric intake. Additionally, 35.5% of children under five years of age suffer from stunting, a consequence of chronic undernutrition, while 18.7% exhibit wasting, a sign of acute undernutrition. Furthermore, the report highlights a mortality rate of 2.9% for children under five, underscoring the detrimental impact of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.
The report's analysis paints a sobering picture of the global hunger landscape, raising doubts about the feasibility of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030. Despite the international community's emphasis on the right to adequate food, the report underscores a troubling disparity between established standards and the reality of food insecurity in many parts of the world. The report concludes that the right to food is often disregarded, leading to a staggering 733 million individuals experiencing hunger daily due to insufficient food access and an estimated 2.8 billion unable to afford a healthy diet.
The report sheds light on the dire situation in several African nations that fall under the 'alarming' category of the GHI spectrum. Wars in Gaza and Sudan are cited as contributing factors to exceptional food crises. Conflict and civil strife are also identified as drivers of food insecurity in other regions, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Mali, and Syria. The report underscores the multifaceted nature of hunger, emphasizing the interconnectedness of conflict, poverty, and food insecurity.
Source: Global Hunger Index 2024 ranks India under ‘serious’ category