Introduction
Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) is one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015. The goal is to end hunger, achieve food security, and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. The goal:
1. End hunger by ensuring that all people, especially those who are most vulnerable, have access to sufficient and nutritious food all year round. This includes reducing the number of people who are undernourished and improving the diets of those who suffer from malnutrition.
2. Achieve food security by increasing the availability, access, and use of food. This includes increasing agricultural productivity, improving access to markets and infrastructure, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
3. Improve nutrition by reducing the number of people who suffer from malnutrition, including reducing the number of children who are stunted, wasted, or overweight. Additionally, the goal aims to improve maternal and child nutrition and promote healthy diets.
4. Promote sustainable agriculture by increasing the resilience of food systems and small-scale food producers, as well as by reducing the environmental impact of agriculture.
The goal also is to achieve these targets through partnerships and promote the participation of all stakeholders, including government, private sector, civil society, and communities. Moreover, it aims to achieve gender equality, reduce poverty and inequality, and increase the participation of smallholder farmers and fishers, particularly women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers.
The goal of SDG2 is to end hunger, achieve food security, and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
What are the Challenges in Achieving Food Security in Rural India?
Achieving SDG2 is crucial for the well-being of individuals and the sustainable development of communities and countries. Food security is a fundamental human right, and essential for the physical and mental health of individuals, as well as for their social and economic well-being.
Achieving food security in rural India is a complex and multifaceted issue that is affected by a range of social, economic, and environmental factors. Some of the key challenges in achieving food security in rural India:
- Poverty and lack of access to resources. Poverty is one of the main factors that contributes to food insecurity in rural India. Many rural households lack the resources, such as land, to produce enough food to meet their needs, and they often lack the financial resources to purchase food.
- Low agricultural productivity. Low agricultural productivity is a major challenge in rural India. Many farmers lack access to modern farming techniques, such as improved seed varieties, fertilizer, and irrigation. This results in low yields, which in turn affect food security.
- Climate change. Climate change is affecting food security in rural India, causing unpredictable weather patterns, such as droughts and floods, which can damage crops and reduce yields. This makes it difficult for farmers to plan for the future, which leads to food insecurity.
- Lack of infrastructure. Rural areas in India often lack basic infrastructure, such as transportation, and storage facilities. This results in food waste and increased food prices, which make it difficult for low-income households to access food.
- Limited access to markets. Many farmers in rural India lack access to markets, which makes it difficult for them to sell their produce. This leads to food surpluses or shortages, which can result in food insecurity.
- Low awareness about government support. Despite government initiatives such as Public Distribution System (PDS), National Food Security Act (NFSA), Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), National Agricultural Market (e-NAM), Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) to improve food security in rural India, many rural households are still not receiving the support they need. This can be due to poor implementation, lack of awareness, and limited reach of these programs.
- Limited education and training. Limited education and training is another major challenge in achieving food security in rural India. Many farmers lack the knowledge and skills necessary to improve their agricultural productivity and adapt to changing weather patterns and market conditions.
- Land degradation and water scarcity. Land degradation and water scarcity are also major issues in rural India, which affect food security. Degraded land is less productive and less able to support crop growth, while water scarcity makes it difficult to irrigate crops and provide water for other agricultural activities.
These challenges can only be overcome by implementing a comprehensive and coordinated approach that addresses the underlying causes of food insecurity. This includes increasing agricultural productivity, improving access to markets and infrastructure, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and providing support and education to farmers. Additionally, the government should work with communities, the private sector, and civil society to ensure that the initiatives are implemented effectively and reach the intended beneficiaries.
Achieving SDG2 is crucial for the well-being of individuals and the sustainable development of communities and countries. The above mentioned challenges can only be overcome by implementing a comprehensive and coordinated approach that addresses the underlying causes of food insecurity.
How SDG2 can be Achieved in Rural India?
Improving food security and nutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture, and building resilient livelihoods, are key to ending hunger in rural areas and improving the overall well-being of the population. In rural India, there are several ways that SDG2 can be achieved.
1. Increase food production. The Indian government has implemented several initiatives to increase food production in the country, such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), which is an agricultural insurance scheme that aims to provide financial protection to farmers against crop loss due to natural calamities. By increasing food production, rural areas will have access to more food and will be able to improve food security.
2. Improve access to markets. The National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal that connects farmers with buyers, including processors, wholesalers, and retailers. By providing farmers with access to markets, they will be able to sell their produce at a fair price and improve their income, which in turn will improve food security.
3. Enhance food storage. The Indian government has implemented several initiatives to enhance food storage in the country, such as the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) which aims to ensure remunerative prices to farmers for their produce. By enhancing food storage, rural areas will have access to food even during times of food scarcity.
4. Improve nutrition. The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is a government program that aims to improve the health and nutrition of children under age six, as well as pregnant and lactating women. By providing supplementary nutrition, immunization, health checkups, and preschool education, the program aims to improve nutrition in rural areas.
5. Promote sustainable agriculture. The Indian government has implemented several initiatives to promote sustainable agriculture in the country, such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) which is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India. By providing financial assistance to all landholding eligible farmer families across the country, the scheme aims to promote sustainable agriculture.
6. Implement Community-Based Approaches. Community-based approaches such as the Self-Help Group (SHG) model, have been effective in promoting sustainable agriculture, improving access to credit, and increasing the income of small farmers. These groups provide a platform for farmers to share knowledge and resources, and to access services such as credit, training, and marketing.
7. Encourage Agroforestry and Organic farming. Agroforestry and organic farming practices, which aim to maintain and improve soil health, can be promoted in rural areas. These practices can increase yields, improve the livelihoods of farmers, and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
8. Build resilient livelihoods. Building resilience in rural communities is critical to ensure sustainable food security. This can be done by promoting diversified livelihoods, such as non-farm income generation, and providing access to financial services and credit.
These initiatives and approaches can be implemented in coordination with each other and will have a significant impact on achieving SDG2 in rural India.
Initiatives taken by the Government of India to Achieve SDG2
The Indian government has implemented several initiatives to ensure food security in the country. Some of the key initiatives are-
1. Public Distribution System (PDS) is a government-run program that provides food grains and other essential commodities at subsidized prices to eligible households. The government procures food grains from farmers at minimum support prices and then distributes them through a network of fair price shops. This system ensures that even the poorest households have access to food.
2. National Food Security Act (NFSA), passed in 2013, aims to provide legal entitlement to subsidized food grains to eligible households. Under the act, eligible households are entitled to receive 5 kg of food grains per person per month at a highly subsidized rate of Rs. 3, Rs. 2, and Rs. 1 per kg for rice, wheat, and coarse grains respectively.
3. Mid-Day Meal Scheme is a school meal program in India that provides free lunch to students in government and government-assisted primary schools. The program aims to improve attendance and concentration in school, as well as to provide food security for children from poor families.
4. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is a government program that aims to improve the health and nutrition of children under age six, as well as pregnant and lactating women. The program provides a package of services that includes supplementary nutrition, immunization, health checkups, and preschool education.
5. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is an agricultural insurance scheme that aims to provide financial protection to farmers against crop loss due to natural calamities. Under the scheme, farmers can insure their crops at a low premium, and in case of crop loss, they will receive financial assistance to cover the loss.
6. National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal that connects farmers with buyers, including processors, wholesalers, and retailers. The portal provides a platform for farmers to sell their produce directly to buyers, thereby reducing intermediaries and increasing their income.
7. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India. It provides financial assistance to all landholding eligible farmer families across the country, in the form of income support at the rate of Rs. 6,000 per year.
These initiatives are aimed at ensuring that all citizens have access to food and nutrition, and supports the farmers by providing them with better prices for their produce, financial assistance, and access to markets. The government continues to monitor and evaluate these programs to ensure their effectiveness and make necessary changes.
The Indian government has taken initiatives aimed at ensuring that all citizens have access to food and nutrition, and supports the farmers by providing them with better prices for their produce, financial assistance, and access to markets.
Ensuring Food Security
This section of the blog will give you a peek in to how companies, in partnership with the S M Sehgal Foundation work toward ensuring food security, and promoting technology in agriculture and sustainable development.
The Agricultural Development Program at S M Sehgal Foundation promotes sustainable livelihoods and builds the capacities of farmers by leveraging improved agricultural interventions and new technologies. They worked with small-holder farmers to facilitate the adoption of advanced agricultural practices, including soil health management, input-use efficiency, horticultural development, crop production management, small farm mechanization, water-efficient irrigation techniques, livestock management, and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in agricultural development.
Promoting sustainable agriculture practices among smallholder farmers
With a large percentage of India’s population still dependent on agriculture as their primary source of income and among them majority being small-scale farmers, the lack of awareness on latest techniques and also the financial crunch to develop or install latest infrastructure is a worrisome reality.
Large number of small-scale farmers continue to adopt old techniques that lead to continuous depletion of soil quality, depriving them of the maximum potential and benefits they can reap by working on their lands.
To fill this lacuna of information and infrastructure, Mosaic India Private Limited stepped in and supports such farmers in partnership with S M Sehgal Foundation. The project began in two villages in 2008. As of July 2022, it has directly impacted the lives of 150,501 families in 155 villages across three states, showcasing a case for promoting sustainable agriculture practices among smallholder farmers in rural hinterlands, which can be replicated to other parts of the country.
The solutions offered under the project address multiple dimensions of rural society, including agriculture development (soil health, balanced crop nutrition, and agriculture advice); water management (augmentation and conservation); and education (school transformation and upgrades).
The project carries a decade-rich of experiences in mitigating low-yield agriculture into a remunerative and profitable activity and improving awareness among the farming community regarding modern agricultural techniques and water management practices that continue to the present day helping fulfill the goals of No Poverty and Zero Hunger under SDGs.
Read the more stories of S M Sehgal Foundation working to achieve food security, and achieve SDG2 in rural India!
This section of the blog will give you a peek into how companies, in partnership with S M Sehgal Foundation work toward ensuring food security and promoting technology in agriculture and sustainable development.
FAQs
The goal is to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. The goal:
1. End hunger by ensuring that all people, especially those who are most vulnerable, have access to sufficient and nutritious food all year round. This includes reducing the number of people who are undernourished and improving the diets of those who suffer from malnutrition.
2. Achieve food security by increasing the availability, access, and use of food. This includes increasing agricultural productivity, improving access to markets and infrastructure, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
3. Improve nutrition by reducing the number of people who suffer from malnutrition, including reducing the number of children who are stunted, wasted, or overweight. Additionally, the goal aims to improve maternal and child nutrition and promote healthy diets.
4. Promote sustainable agriculture by increasing the resilience of food systems and small-scale food producers, as well as by reducing the environmental impact of agriculture.
The goals of SDG2 can be achieved through partnerships and by promoting the participation of all stakeholders, including government, private sector, civil society, and communities. Moreover, it aims to achieve gender equality, reduce poverty and inequality, and increase the participation of smallholder farmers and fishers, particularly women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists, and fishers.
Achieving food security in rural India is a complex and multifaceted issue that is affected by a range of social, economic, and environmental factors.
Some of the key challenges in achieving food security in rural India:
- Poverty and lack of access to resources
- Low agricultural productivity
- Climate change
- Lack of infrastructure
- Limited access to markets
- Low awareness of government programs
- Limited education and training
- Land degradation and water scarcity
The Indian government has implemented several initiatives to enhance food storage in the country, such as the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), which aims to ensure remunerative prices to farmers for their produce. By enhancing food storage, rural areas will have access to food even during times of food scarcity.
Implementing community-based approaches such as the Self-Help Group (SHG) model, has been effective in promoting sustainable agriculture, improving access to credit, and increasing the income of small farmers. These groups provide a platform for farmers to share knowledge and resources, and to access services such as credit, training, and marketing.
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