Global Hunger Index 2015

The 2015 GHI was calculated for 117 developing countries and countries in transition, 80 of which with alarming or serious hunger levels. The focus of GHI 2015 was on armed conflict and its relation to hunger. The Index was adopted and further developed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and was first published in 2006 with the Welthungerhilfe, a German non-profit organization (NGO). Since 2007, the Irish NGO Concern Worldwide joined the group as co-publisher.

What is the Global Hunger Index?

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger globally, regionally, and by country. Every year, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) calculates GHI scores in order to assess progress, or the lack thereof, in decreasing hunger.

Interpreting a GHI score

An increase in a country’s GHI score indicates that the hunger situation is worsening, while a decrease in the score indicates improvement in the country’s hunger situation.

Four components in the GHI formula

The four components in the GHI are:

• Undernourishment
• Child wasting: the proportion of children under the age of five who suffer from wasting (low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition);
• Child stunting: the proportion of children under the age of five who suffer from stunting (low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition);
• Child mortality: the mortality rate of children under the age of five (partially reflecting the fatal synergy of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments).

Conflict trap and poverty

• Eleven million people were uprooted by violence in 2014.
• An average of 42,500 people per day fled their homes in 2014. A
• Displaced people spend an average of more than 17 years in camps or with host communi­ties.
• It is observed that conflict has ripple effects on human welfare. Countries which repeated violent conflict experience higher levels of under-nutrition, reduced access to education, and much higher infant mortality than stable countries of similar economic standing.

India and GHI

• India is ranked 29 score in 2015 from 38.5 in 2005 and ranked at 80 out of 104 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2015. A lower number means fewer people are going hungry.
• Wasting in children in the country fell from 20% in 2005 to 15% in 2014, and stunting fell from 48% to 39% in the same period.
• It is largely due to the efforts of the government of India through its nutrition-specific interventions over the past decade, including expansion of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program which aims to improve the health, nutrition, and development of children.
• However, the progress is not even throughout the country. It is observed that in India open defecation contributes to illnesses that prevent the absorption of nutrients.

Hunger Leads to Conflict

The GHI 2015 has stated that there is a strong co-relation between Conflict and hunger. According to the 2014 Global Hunger Index, countries Burundi, Comoros, Eritrea, Sudan and South Sudan, and Timor Leste which are engaged in continuous war like situation are facing under-nutrition.

Hunger in the form of famine, chronic malnu­trition, or general deprivation also leads to conflicts.

The solution to end hunger and ultimately conflict is to improve the governance structure which will ultimately end conflict, poverty, and hunger.

Two tasks stand out for eliminating conflict-related hunger. First, we need stronger mechanisms to prevent and resolve conflicts. Second, we must activate the international emergency relief system to dispatch large-scale food aid where it is needed most. We also need political leadership to strengthen international food secu­rity policy.

What is making India as a country go hungry

In India, largely people are going hungry due to administrative set up. The Indian government, as well as its state-level counterparts, does not have sufficient cold storage facilities and as a result almost 40% of all vegetables and fruits produced in India and 20% of the food grains rot and never reach the market. This forces the sellers to raise the prices and put it beyond the reach of most. The below poverty line (BPL) families spend 70% of their income on food. In case of families that are above poverty line (APL) the amount goes up to 50%.

India talks about co-operative federalism between centre and state. If India wants to come out of the hunger trap, it is the need of the hour that co-operative federalism is practiced in spirit. Also infrastructure facilities need to be put in place such as cold storage facilities in order to store the food grains and deliver to the needy.