Food insecurity in South Asia

Despite considerable economic growth and substantial increases in food grain production, food insecurity and hunger persist in many countries, affecting a sizeable proportion of their populations. 

Global hunger remains a serious issue. Around 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, i.e. about 9 per cent. The situation is even more acute in Africa, where about one-fifth of the population experienced hunger. According to the Global Report on Food Crises, around 300 million people in 53 countries experienced high levels of food insecurity in 2024. Hidden hunger (i.e.,micronutrient deficiencies) affected around 3 billion people in 2022. 

More than one-half of the world's hungry people live in Asia (around 418 million).With a population of around 2.1 billion people, South Asia is home to around a quarter of the world's population). Around two-fifths of the world's poor live in South Asia. 

A large percentage of its population in South Asia experience food insecurity. Over 300 million suffer from under-nourishment (40 per ent of the world's total), the highest number globally. South Asia faces a major challenge in achieving food security for the people living in the region. Some progress has been made in reducing hunger in relative terms; however, the absolute number of under-nourished people keeps rising due to population growth. South Asia experiences a high prevalence of hunger (around 306 million people). Unfavourable weather conditions, rising oil prices, trade restrictions, and poverty have in, a large measure, contributed to food insecurity in the region. 

The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) shows a mixed picture for South Asia. While Nepal and Sri Lanka have shown improvements, India and Pakistan still have significant hunger levels. Bangladesh is at moderate hunger level, and falls behind Nepal and Sri Lanka in the rankings. For Afghanistan and Bhutan, the GHI data are not available. 

In Afghanistan, a large proportion of the population are experiencing high levels of food insecurity. Around 23 million people (more than half of the population) are experiencing extreme hunger. The crisis is more acute among women and young children. Conflict, economic decline, drought and displacement have contributed to this crisis.

According to the UN report "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World", around 29 per cent of the population in Bangladesh (more than 52 million) experience varying levels of food insecurity, with about 19 million facing severe food insecurity. Bangladesh has achieved economic progress and recorded a decline in hunger over the past two decades; however, food insecurity persists. In 2024, the Bangladesh's GHI score was 19.4, and the country ranked 84th out of 127 countries in the 2024 GHI. 

Over one-quarter of households in Bhutan cannot afford a diet that meets their daily nutrient needs. A triple burden of malnutrition (stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity) characterises Bhutan's food insecurity. Worse still, these issues disproportionately affect vulnerable population groups. Despite Bhutan making some progress in improving food security, hunger and malnutrition remain a matter of major concern. 

India is a major food producer; nevertheless, it faces a persistent challenge with hunger and malnutrition. Around 195 million, i.e., about a quarter of the world's undernourished people live in India. Despite improvements in food security and economic growth, a sizeable proportion of its population suffers from undernourishment and struggles with poverty. In 2024, India's GHI score was 27.3, indicating a "serious" level of hunger; and the country ranked 105th out of 127 countries. 

In the Maldives, food security remains a major concern, further accentuated by the impacts of climate change and its heavy dependence on food imports, thereby leaving it vulnerable to global price fluctuations and disruptions in supply chain.

Over 11 million (37 per cent of the population) face hunger in Nepal. The prevalence of hunger declined since 2000; however, the country still faces chronic malnutrition and food insecurity, especially in climate-vulnerable and marginalized communities. The 2024 GHI score was 14.7, and it ranked 68th out of 127. 

Food insecurity remains a major issue in Pakistan, with about one-fifth of the population facing hunger. It is more acute among women, the marginalised population groups, and in regions such as Baluchistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The 2024 GHI score was 27.9, indicating a serious level of hunger, and the country ranked 109th out of 127. 

Despite some economic recovery in 2024, Sri Lanka continues to face considerable food insecurity. According to the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), around 30 per cent of the population is facing moderate to severe food insecurity. The rising cost of food has become a major problem, especially for the poor. High levels of poverty and malnutrition persist. The lingering effects of the economic crisis and climate shocks continue to impact food security. The 2024 GHI score was 11.3 (moderate hunger category), and the country ranked 56th out of 127

Food insecurity in South Asia is due to: shortage of food supplies and lack of access to food supplies even when those are available. The shortage of food supplies is due to several factors such as limited arable land area, adverse weather conditions (such as droughts, floods), and low agricultural productivity. Access to adequate food supplies is constrained by high rates of unemployment and under-employment, low wages and large number of workers in low-paid jobs, and high rates of poverty and inequalities. 

South Asian countries need to adopt a multi-faceted approach to tackle factors affecting both food production as well as access to adequate food supplies. South Asian countries need to do more to strengthen agriculture systems, invest in climate-resilient agriculture, develop drought-resistant crops, promote crop diversification and improve irrigation systems to increase food production. In order to improve access to food supplies, South Asian countries should undertake measures to increase the purchasing power of the people by generating adequate number of "decent jobs" and such other measures that will reduce poverty and inequalities. Furthermore, South Asian countries need to strengthen and/or implement carefully designed and targeted social protection programmes to protect vulnerable populations from food insecurity. 

Barkat-e-Khuda, PhD, former Professor and Chairman, Department of Economics, University of Dhaka.
barkatek@yahoo.com