Can India feed the world?

Southern African country, Namibia, is facing its worst drought ever; forcing the horrific decision to cull 723 wild animals including majestic creatures such as the elephants. Countries such as Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, and others have long suffered from hunger caused by years of internal strife and displacement. The effects of climate change and recent additions to global conflict have added more hungry mouths to the world’s starving population. Can India help alleviate global hunger?

Propelled by extreme weather, food insecurity is one of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. In 2023, almost 282 million people faced severe food insecurity in 59 countries, as per the 2024 Global Report on Food Crisis (GRFC). Eccentric cycles of rain mean enhanced threats to crop life and yield. Ongoing wars further upend global food supply chains; the Gaza Strip, for example, has been facing acute food crisis. A bad monsoon or an extended drought creates exigencies and disrupts food production. The time is nigh when along with poverty or war-stricken nations, even the developed world may have to rely on other countries for their meals.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India was a food-surplus nation and is the leading producer of milk, pulses, and spices in the world, and is the second-largest producer of foodgrains, fruits, vegetables, cotton, sugar, and tea. He also added that India is working on solutions for global food security. In 2022, when the world faced wheat shortage due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Prime Minister Modi had told US President Joe Biden that India can supply food grains to the world if allowed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Soon after, Egypt approved India as food supplier and as per news reports, Indian trade delegations were dispatched to countries such as Tunisia, Indonesia, Turkey, Vietnam, Algeria, Thailand, Lebanon, Morocco, and the Philippines to suss out opportunities for wheat export. However, within days, the government revoked its interest by placing a ban on wheat exports. Indeed, taking on the mantle of becoming a food bowl to the world is a worthy cause and opportunity for India. But challenges lie in the way.

India’s agricultural community is not immune to climate change. Record heat, erratic rain, and pest infestation have afflicted small-scale farmers. The El Nino effect, for instance, wreaked havoc worldwide and has negatively impacted India as well. Agricultural innovations, R&D, wide scale mechanisation, and use of artificial intelligence are needed to strengthen the farming community. To that end, the Union Cabinet has green-lit a Rs 13,966 crore package as a fillip to the agriculture sector and to reinforce food security. As per reports, almost 8 out of 10 Indians live in vulnerable climate zones. Almost 40 per cent of Indian districts are also showing a swapping trend wherein drought-prone areas are turning flood-prone and vice versa. Once a flourishing sector, agriculture in India also faces labour shortage. India also faces stiff competition from Brazil, China, Russia, and Indonesia. Low productivity has also been a niggling issue. As per reports, while India has almost 200 million hectares of land under agriculture, it produces only 140 kg per hectare. Compare this to China’s yield of 400 kg per hectare from its lower 130 million hectares of cropped land.

While the central government has disputed India’s ranking on the Global Hunger Index (GHI) — India was 111th out of 125 countries, below Pakistan and Sudan last year — the burden of feeding over 1.4 billion Indians still remains. Pinching food inflation continues to affect the masses thwarting access to nutritious food. Being “food-surplus” would require food prices to dramatically come down and improve the daily diets of a billion plus Indians. We will have to serve the nation before we feed the world.

The writer is an author and media entrepreneur. Views expressed are personal