A concept Note on

The National Consultation on SDG 2- Zero Hunger

“End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable
agriculture”

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 focuses on ending hunger, achieving food security
and improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture. The SDG 2 and related targets
comprehensively deal with issues of food production, distribution and access as well as nutrition
of people of all age groups, gender and social categories, supported by sustainable agriculture
and are intrinsically linked to other SDGs.

As a part of its role of overseeing the implementation of SDGs in the country, NITI Aayog, has
been conducting a series of National Consultations on SDGs involving Central Ministries, State
Governments, experts, academia, CSOs, multilateral organisations and other stakeholders. The
National Consultation on the SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) is going to be held at the India Habitat
Centre (Juniper Hall), New Delhi on 13th April 2017. The objectives of the Consultation are to:

 Facilitate deliberation on key thematic areas and issues around the SDG 2, related targets
and possible national indicators;
 Identify critical gaps and important ways forward to successfully achieve the targets
under the SDG 2;
 Bring together and strengthen SDG-oriented partnership among various stakeholders.

Sessions and Thematic Areas

The Consultation will have three technical sessions to deliberate on the themes and issues
relevant to the SDG 2 and related targets. Brief details on these sessions are given below.

Food and Nutrition Security

India has experienced remarkable economic growth in recent years and remains one of the
fastest growing economies in the world. However, poverty and food insecurity are still areas of
concern in spite of many strides. In 2016, India ranked 97 among 118 developing countries
according to the Global Hunger Index (GHI). About 15% of under-5 children still suffer from
`wasting' and 39% from stunting. According to NHFS-4 data, though 58.4% of children remain
anaemic in 2015-16, there has been a substantial improvement from 2005-06 levels by 11
percentage points. Incidence of anaemia among pregnant women has gone down by about 8
percentage points between 2005-06 and 2015-16: from 57.9% in 2005-06 to 50.3% in 2015-16.
About 53% of the non-pregnant women (15-49 years) suffered from anaemia in 2016 as
compared to 55.2% in 2005-06. On the other side of the pendulum, incidence of obesity has
almost doubled over the decade ending 2015-16: from 9.3% to 18.6% among men and from
12.6% to 20.7% among women. Thus, while the food security situation is progressively
improving, access to balanced food is problematic for the vulnerable population.

India implements one of the largest food security measures in the world, the National Food
Security Act (NFSA) 2013. The NFSA is being implemented across the country addressing the
availability, accessibility and affordability dimensions of food security. The Scheme covers
around 800 million people, about 67% of the country’s population. In addition, the Integrated
Child Development Services (ICDS) aims at addressing nutrition security of under-6 children,
lactating mothers and pregnant women. The National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in Schools
aims to provide nutritious meals to children in primary schools. Under the Antyodaya Anna
Yojana, families with income of less than Rs. 250/- per capita per month are entitled for 35 kg.
rice at subsidised rate. Improving the effectiveness of these programmes will be central to
improving the food and nutrition security situation in the country.

Agricultural Production and Climate Change

India continues to be a key global agricultural producer, irrespective of the declining share of
agriculture in the economy. It has the world’s largest area under cultivation for wheat, rice, and
cotton, and is the world’s largest producer of milk, pulses, and spices. Agricultural productivity
in the country’s semi-arid tropical region is constrained by water scarcity and recurring drought.
The whole country remains prone to environmental degradation and weather-related disaster
risks. Climate change poses new challenges by bringing about higher temperatures, changes in
precipitation, and higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations, which may significantly impact rain-
fed agriculture in 55% of croplands. Increased droughts and floods are likely to adversely impact
production. Agriculture in the coastal regions may be affected because of vulnerability to
inundation and salinization.

The National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, together with other missions under the
National Action Plan on Climate Change, strives to implement adaptation strategies to mitigate
the impact of climate change and sustain agricultural productivity. The adaptation measures
focus on 10 key dimensions, i.e. improved crop seeds; livestock and fish cultures; water use
efficiency; pest management; improved farm practices; nutrient management; agricultural
insurance and credit support; markets; access to information; and livelihood diversification.

Considerable progress is being made on several fronts through interesting initiatives. Soil Health
Cards (6.2 crore SHCs issued so far) with crop-wise nutrient management recommendations
enable farmers to make judicious use of inputs and improve productivity. Land under organic
farming has registered more than 17-fold increase over the last decade or so. While also
encouraged under several schemes, organic farming is specifically being promoted under the
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) in a cluster mode in an area of over 2 lakh ha since
2014. The Sub-Mission of Agroforestry is accelerating the ‘Medh Par Ped’ programme to
quickly increase intermittent plantations in farmlands and block plantations in cultivable wastes.
Crop insurance has been revamped under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana (PMFBY)
and farmers are increasingly being covered under the scheme. Access to new information,
knowledge and skills is being revitalised improved through strengthening the Krishi Vigyan
Kendra (KVK) network, and implementation of the Pandit Deendayal Unnat Krishi Shiksha
Yojana and other educational initiatives.

Sustainable Agriculture and Doubling Farmers’ Income

Recurrent cases of farmer suicides highlight the agrarian distress in the country. Considering the
agricultural income, 53% of farmers are below poverty line as compared to the national average
of 28%. In 1983 a farmer’s income was one-third of a non-farmer’s income, which went down
to being one-fourth in next 20 years and then slightly improved to around 29%. Thus, it is
imperative to raise farmers’ income by adopting different strategies. The National Round Table
on Doubling Farmers’ Income by 2022 has suggested a five-part strategy for the purpose:

1. Improving productivity through greater use of biotechnology, intensifying watershed

management and access to micro-irrigation facilities and bridging crop yield gaps across
States by implementing evidence-based specific action plans.
2. Reforming water and agri-input policies for rationalization of fertiliser and pesticide use,
farm mechanisation tailored to small farm requirements and focused on efficient use of tools
and equipment, and integrated and efficient water use by farmers.
3. Promoting Integrated farming system approach involving synergic blending of crops,
horticulture, dairy, fisheries, poultry, etc. to provide regular income, in situ employment and
climate change resilience.
4. Ensuring better market price realization by reforming the APMC Act to facilitate
competitive pan-India trade, providing access to National Agricultural Marketing (NAM)
platforms, and improving agri-infrastructure including storage facilities.
5. Implementing special policy measures for diversification of crops, integration of Central and
State subsidies, Establishing Special Agriculture Zones (SAZ), ICT-based agricultural
extension, etc.
Encouraging progress under several programmes/schemes augurs well for the success of the
composite measures being taken for doubling farmers’ income. Following NITI Aayog’s
advocacy of a model land leasing legislation, several States have gone ahead with revision of
land leasing Acts. It would expedite tenancy reforms to provide sharecroppers and landless
lessee farmers improved access to land and better scope for investment and capital
accumulation. Diversification of crops has been actively promoted, while production in allied
sectors like fisheries and poultry has gone up. During 2015-17, an area of about 13 lakh hectares
has been brought under micro irrigation under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
(PMKSY). Integrated agricultural marketing is proceeding apace under the NAM initiative and
250 mandis from 10 States have been integrated with the e-NAM Platform. The innovative
provision of neem-coated urea has reduced production cost of farmers, improved crop
productivity and arrested diversion of urea for unauthorised uses. Development/strengthening of
indigenous breeds of cattle is being pursued though a number of initiatives, i.e. use of advanced
breeding technology, introduction of genomic selection process for increasing milk production
and productivity, and establishment of e-Pashudhan portal, a market for bovine germplasm (in
the form of bovine semen, embryos, male & female calves; heifers and adult bovines). These are
a few instances of the well-rounded strategy being implemented to ensure doubling of farmers’
income in a period of 7-10 years.

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