The Editorial Analysis- India’s G20 Presidency and Food Security

India’s G20 Presidency- Importance for UPSC Exam

india’s g20 presidency and food security summit: G20 grouping is important for UPSC Prelims Exam (International Organizations) and UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 (International Relations- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests).

India’s G20 Presidency in News

• G20 Presidency will come to India from December 1, 2022, offering a unique opportunity to India in addressing various food security challenges faced by the world today.

Opportunity for India in G20 Summit 2023

• • The food security situation has worsened with growing conflicts, and spiralling climate crises marked by droughts, floods, cyclones, and economic downturns in the past few years.
  • In this context, India’s presidency of the G20 offers a historical opportunity for the country to share its successful journey in moving from a food-deficit nation to a food-surplus nation.

• India’s presidency of the G20 can also be utilized to address the growing challenges of food security for creating resilient and equitable food systems.

Previous G20 Summits on Food Security

• Global and regional food security have been deliberated upon as one of the priority agendas of the G20 for many years now.
• In 2021, through the Matera Declaration, G20 ministers recognised that poverty alleviation, food security, and sustainable food systems are key to ending hunger.
• Indian Foreign Minister said that the Matera Declaration reflects the Indian concern for the welfare of small & medium farmers, promoting local food cultures and recognising Agri-diversity.
• The Matera Declaration also emphasised keeping international food trade open and strengthening global, regional, and local diversified value chains for safe, fresh, and nutritious food, as well as promoting a science-based holistic One Health approach.

Why India’s Role is Important in dealing with Food Security?

• India’s journey in the last 50 years provides learning on sustaining growth in food grain production and improving food systems.
• One of India’s greatest contributions to equity in food is the National Food Security Act, 2013, which anchors the targeted public distribution system, the mid-day meal scheme, and the Integrated Child Development Services.
  • Today, India’s food safety nets collectively reach over a billion people.
• Since Independence, India initiated policy measures, land reforms, public investments, institutional infrastructure, new regulatory systems, public support, and intervention in agri-markets and prices and agri-research and extension.
• The 1991-2015 period saw the diversification of agriculture with greater focus being given to the horticulture, dairy, animal husbandry, and fisheries sectors.
  • The continued learning encompassed elements of nutritional health, food safety, sustainability, etc.

India’s Performance in Ensuring Food Security during COVID-19 Pandemic

• In the past three years, while responding to the pandemic, India has set a global example in alleviating hunger by bringing in the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana.
• Through the mechanism of purchases of cereals from farmers, the government was able to-
  • Provide a swift and resilient response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
  • Avoid supply chain disruption and economic shock using its robust public distribution system,
  • Add new measures, and underline how critical food and social safety nets are to achieving the right to food and the dignity of its population.

Way Forward

• There is also an opportunity to fast-track the processes and commitments that were started through the pioneering UN Food Systems Summit, held by the G20 leadership, for global food systems transformation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
• Global Mechanisms: The summit created a mechanism focused on five identified action tracks:
  • Ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all;
  • Shift to sustainable consumption patterns;
  • Boost nature-positive production;
  • Advance equitable livelihoods, and
  • Build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stress.
• India’s Role: Over the decades, the Government of India has institutionalized buying grains from farmers and food stocks as strategic reserves for national food security.
  • The minimum support price has encouraged farmers to produce and protects them from financial fluctuations.
  • This process has protected people, especially the most vulnerable and poor, during difficult times.
• Such measures, which are context-driven, are needed for managing the uncertainties that have become the new normal for ensuring food security for high-population countries and many other countries across the globe.
  • There needs to be greater investment in agriculture; food safety nets for the poor and vulnerable; new ways of farming; and diversified livelihoods.

Conclusion

• We need to expand south-south cooperation to share experiences on food and agriculture production and make expanded efforts to share India’s experiences for countries in Africa and Asia.

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