According to recently released United Nations (UN) annual hunger report titled The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015, India was placed at top in the World Hunger list.
The report has mentioned that India is home to the highest number of hungry people in the world with around 194 million people, surpassing China.
The report was published by UN subsidiary body Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Key facts from report
- Top ten countries: India (194.6), China (133.8), Pakistan (41.4), Ethiopia (31.6), Bangladesh (26.3), Indonesia (19.4), Tanzania (16.8), Philippines (13.7), Nigeria (12.9) and North Korea (10.5). Note: (population is million).
- At global level: The corresponding figures have dropped to 795 million in 2014-15 compared to 1 billion in 1990-92.
- In this case with East Asia led by China accounted for most of the reductions.
- India: It has shown reduction between 15 years timespan form 1990 to 2015.
- In 1990-92, in Indian those who were starved of food were numbered around 210.1 million. It came down to 194.6 million in 2014-15.
- India’s numerous social programmes and schemes have made great strides in reducing the proportion of food insecure persons in the overall population.
- These schemes are expected to continue to fight hunger and poverty.
- China: It was able to achieve reduction in the number of hungry people which was much higher than in India.
- China’s figures came down to 133.8 million in 2014-15 compared to 289 million in 1990-92.
- Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target: 72 out of 129 countries monitored by FAO have achieved the MDG target of halving the prevalence of undernourishment by 2015.
The overall analysis of the report had suggested that inclusive economic growth, social protection and agricultural investments along with political stability has played important role in eradication of hunger.