Food Security to Nutrition Security: Examining Access, Inequality and Outcomes in India

Abstract

After Green revolution in 1966-67 India has achieved considerable progress in agricultural production and food grain self-sufficiency, yet the persistence of widespread malnutrition highlights a paradox of “food secure but nutrition insecure.” Drawing on the Global Hunger Index 2024, National Family Health Survey-5, and official statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, NABARD, this paper explores the disparity between food availability and nutritional outcomes in India. The findings show alarming levels of child stunting, underweight prevalence among youth, and high rates of anemia among women, despite sufficient aggregate food production. Structural causes—such as poverty, dietary monotony, inadequate public provisioning of nutrient-rich foods, and regional inequalities—are identified as barriers to nutrition security. The paper concludes with policy suggestions emphasizing diversification of the Public Distribution System (PDS), promotion of nutrient-dense crops, and integrated nutrition-sensitive interventions.