1. Food security and Livelihood
Surabhi Mittal

2. • Improved inputs
(fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, ir
1960’s- rigation)
Green • Main gains in irrigated region
• Achieved goal of food security
Revolution and self sufficiency
• Not inclusive

3. Why Food Security?
Global Food Inflation
Competitive protectionism-
Export bans, Increased Tariffs
Reports of hoardings and
cartels
Current Food inflation in India
in double digit

4. INDIAN AGRICULTURE
Goal
• Food Security
• Self Sufficiency and
Sustainability
Dynamics of the sector
• Rainfall and climate change
• Changing cropping pattern
• Poor natural resource
management

5. Food Security
Food Availability Food Access
(Macro level) (Household Level)
Four Pillars
Food Utilization Food
(Individual level) Vulnerability

6. Issues under Food Security
Sectoral • Declining share of agriculture sector in GDP
• Low agricultural growth rates
Trends • Increase ‘Food Inflation’
Sectors • Area shifting and declining productivity
• High dependence on the sector for livelihood
Composition • Increasing per capita demand
• High poverty headcount
Indicators • Increasing number of undernourished
population

7. Incidence of Poverty and Food
insecurity
Poverty headcount Undernourishment
49.8
50
42
40
Per cent of Population
30 32.6
28.6
30 24 25 22
20
17
20
10
10
0
Bangladesh India Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization

8. Constraints – Food Security
Poor targeting & In-accessible
Cash Vs. Stocks Transportation Infrastructure
High administrative cost
Buffer Stock management
Poor supply response
Low productivity Price Policy Input availability

9. Where are we stuck?
Policy Dilemmas Political Economy
Increased
production vs India – Pakistan
better income
Formation of farmer
Subsidy vs.
cooperative and
Investments
private investments
Small operational
Track II- Institutional
holdings Vs.
linkages
Mechanisation

10. Proposed solutions
• Suggested by SAARC
• Problems in making it
operational
Food
Bank ?
Regional
Cooperation
• Technology Transfer
• Extension and Management
• Seed bank
Role of
• Promote inter-regional trade
Trade
• Integrating with the world market
• Liberalise South Asian Agriculture
• Reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers
• Do away with ad-hoc policies

11. Ensuring Food Security
The Regions needs to adopt an
integrated strategy
encompassing
collaboration
expanded
Increased within South
social safety
domestic Asian countries
net
production to revisit trade
programmes
policies

12. Major Issues and Challenges
Irrigation Horticulture Efficient
Credit and Government
Productivity and Water and agro- Supply Chain
Insurance Intervention
Management processing Management

13. Investment in Agriculture
45000
40000
35000
30000
Rs. Crore
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
Public Private

14. Rationale of Track II
Track II are non-official dialogue but are expected to serve as a
parallel to government process to strengthen the programs
Networking at government level, people level and business level
Increased representations from academics, NGO’s, business
community and government will help to generate
• political will
• better information to policy makers
• creating wide policy opinions.

15. Food security- Track II
Helps better linkages between agricultural research and
technology-transfer
track two has largely evolved as a mechanism of general
exchange of thoughts, views and policy opinions.
the awareness and the participation of under
representation groups get broadened

16. Move towards
An organized and planned agricultural production and marketing
Farmer as the entrepreneur
Partnership among all stake holders
Government role as implementation of policies and constant
evaluation
Increase investment and prioritize areas of investment

17. Thank you!!
mittal_surabhi75@yahoo.com