Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) India has been placed seventh in the list of 21 developing countries for its vulnerability in being able to feed its people and grow food, according to a study released Monday.

India is ranked ahead of Pakistan and Nigeria in the report titled ‘On the brink: Who’s best prepared for a climate and hunger crisis?’ by NGO ActionAid.

It says the world today confronts three interlocking crises — climate change, resource scarcity and food price volatility.

“With one-quarter of the world’s people living in hunger residing within its borders, any improvements to India’s hunger levels could dramatically reduce global poverty and hunger. India is home to one-third of the world’s undernourished children,” stresses Sandeep Chachra, executive director of ActionAid India.

ActionAid’s research shows that 1.6 billion people — nearly a quarter of the world’s population — live in countries that are highly vulnerable to climate-related food crises.

“They have very high underlying levels of chronic hunger and child malnutrition. This, coupled with rapid land degradation, will make food production increasingly difficult as global warming intensifies. Only a few of these countries are putting adequate measures in place to assure future food security,” the report said.

Chachra added: “India needs to address the unfinished agenda of land reforms and support to diverse sustainable agricultural systems and improving women’s access and control over land and other productive resources is key to arresting hunger and impact of climate change on agriculture.”