United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2018 report:
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According to United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2018 report, number of hungry people in world has risen for first time in more than decade.
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There are now approximately 38 million more undernourished people in the world, rising from 777 million in 2015 to 815 million in 2016.
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The report is an overview of progress towards achieving 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG), which consists of 17 goals and 169 targets. .
Other Facts:
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1 in 9 people remain chronically undernourished
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3.1 mn children die of malnutrition each year
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Extreme poverty in developing regions have come down from 43% in 1990 to 17% in 2015. But the progress has been uneven across the globe.
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72 out of 129 countries have achieved MDG target of halving the prevalence of undernourished population.
India’s Case:
- India’s efforts at improving access to food and good nutrition are led by the National Food Security Act. There are special nutritional schemes for women and children operated through the States.
- In spite of such interventions, 14.5% of the population suffers from undernourishment, going by the UN’s assessment for 2014-16.
- At the national level, 53% of women are anaemic, Health Ministry data show.
- Centre recently said it had received only 3,888 complaints on the public distribution system (PDS) over a five-year period. All this shows that the Centre and State governments are woefully short on the commitment to end undernourishment.
- Institutions such as the State Food Commissions have not made a big difference either.
- Distributing nutritious food as a public health measure is still not a political imperative, while ill-conceived policies are making it difficult for many to do this.
