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According to the UN’s “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025”, global undernourishment decreased to 8.2% (673 million individuals) in 2024, down from 8.5% in 2023.

India has been instrumental in this turnaround—its prevalence of undernourishment fell from 14.3% (2020–22) to 12% (2022–24), equating to 30 million fewer hungry people. These outcomes underscore India’s unique role in advancing SDG 2: Zero Hunger globally.

Defining Hunger: Layers and Causes

• Undernourishment: Insufficient calorie intake.
• Malnutrition: Poor diet quality lacking protein and essential micronutrients.
• Hidden Hunger: Micronutrient deficiencies (iron, iodine, vitamin A, zinc).

Root Causes:

• Economic barriers: Poverty limits access to nutritious food (NITI Aayog Index: ~11.3% multidimensionally poor).
• Agricultural inefficiencies: Fragmented holdings, climate variability, poor irrigation, and 13% post-harvest losses.
• High food costs: A nutritious diet remains unaffordable for over 60% of Indians.
• Weak infrastructure: Poor cold storage and logistics aggravate food wastage.
• Health and sanitation challenges: NFHS-5 (2019–21): 35.5% of children under five are stunted; 19.3% are wasted.
• Macro-disruptions: Global conflicts, pandemics, and climate shocks affect food systems, impacting India too.

India’s Strategic Interventions: From Policies to Systems

• Public Distribution System (PDS) Reforms
  • Extensive digital overhaul: Aadhaar-based targeting, biometric authentication, real-time inventory tracking, and ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card) ensuring portability and inclusion for migrants and the vulnerable.
  • Served over 800 million beneficiaries during COVID-19—a monumental welfare scaling.
• Emphasis on Nutrition Over Mere Calories
  • Continued unaffordability of healthy diets (60%+ can’t afford) due to price inflation and weak linkages.
  • Nutrition-centric interventions:
    • PM POSHAN (2021): Expanded mid-day meals into nutrition-sensitive programs.
    • ICDS & POSHAN Abhiyaan: Enhanced focus on dietary diversity and maternal-child health.
    • AnaemiaMukt Bharat: Tackles widespread anaemia among women and children.
• Agrifood System Transformation
  • Promote nutrient-dense food affordability (pulses, fruits, vegetables, animal-source proteins).
  • Address 13% food loss via upgraded cold-chain infrastructure and logistics.
  • Support women-led enterprises and FPOs, especially in climate-resilient, biofortified crop cultivation.
• Digital Innovations in Agriculture: Tools such as AgriStack, e-NAM, and geospatial platforms enhance market access, planning, and transparency.

Strategies for Sustainable Impact