India alleges that Global Hunger Index report ignores government’s food security measures
New Delhi:
India today termed the latest Global Hunger Index (GHI) report as a “misguided measure of hunger” and claimed that its ranking is “ridden with serious functioning issues” after slipping to 107th position out of 121 countries in 2022.
A press note issued by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development said: “Out of the four indicators used to calculate the index, three are related to the health of children and may not represent the entire population.”
It further said: “The fourth and most important indicator estimate of the proportion of the undernourished (PoU) population is based on an opinion poll conducted on a very small sample size of 3,000. The report not only detracts from the ground reality, but also selects Willfully ignore the efforts made by the government to ensure food security for the population, especially during the COVID pandemic.”
India was ranked 101st in the 2021 rankings. Its current 107th position puts it behind neighboring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Seventeen countries, including China, Turkey and Kuwait, shared the top rank with GHI scores less than five, the GHI website, which tracks hunger and malnutrition, said on Saturday.
The ministry’s statement further said: “Taking a one-pronged approach, the report lowers India’s rank by estimating the proportion of the undernourished (PoU) population for India at 16.3 per cent.”
The statement said: “The matter was taken up with the FAO [Food and Agricultural Organisation] Not using such estimates based on FIES [Food Insecurity Experience Scale] Survey module data in July 2022, as the statistical output of the same will not be based on merit. While assurances were being given that there would be further engagement on this issue, the publication of the Global Hunger Index report is regrettable despite such factual views.”
The note from the Ministry of Women and Child Development raised serious doubts about some of the questions asked by the surveyors to the respondents in India. It said: “Some of the questions asked by respondents are: ‘During the past 12 months, was there a time when, due to lack of money or other resources, you were concerned that you would not have enough food to eat? Less than you thought?'”
The ministry said: “It is clear that such questions do not seek facts based on relevant information regarding nutritional support and assurance of food security.”
The ministry further said that calculating hunger based primarily on indicators related to health indicators of children is “neither scientific nor rational”.