Food insecure individuals are those who lack reliable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an active and healthy life (FAO definition).
Four dimensions of food security (FAO):
- Availability: Sufficient food produced
- Access: Physical and economic ability to obtain food
- Utilization: Proper absorption and nutrition
- Stability: Consistent access over time no seasonal or crisis-driven deprivation
Food insecure groups in India (NCERT Class 9 Economics):
- Landless agricultural laborers
- Traditional artisans and craftspeople
- Petty self-employed workers in urban areas
- Migrant laborers
- Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs
- Women and children in low-income households
Most food-insecure states in India: Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh