CBSE Class 9 Economics Notes Chapter 4 Food Security in India

While India has made massive strides since the Green Revolution, ensuring that every citizen, regardless of their wealth, has a plate of nutritious food remains a challenge. This chapter explores the systems the Indian government has built to prevent famines and manage food shortages. Whether you are preparing for school exams or looking for a clear breakdown of the Public Distribution System, these food security in India class 9 economics chapter 4 notes provide a step-by-step guide to understanding how our country feeds over a billion people.

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CBSE Class 9 Economics Notes Chapter 4 Food Security in India

Below we have provided CBSE Class 9 Economics Chapter 4 for the ease of the students - The availability, affordability, and accessibility of food for all people at all times is referred to as food security. Public Distribution System (PDS) vigilance and government intervention when food security is jeopardized are essential for ensuring food security.

What Is Food Security?

The following are the dimensions of food security.

(a) Food production within the nation, food imports, and the stock from prior years kept in government granaries all contribute to the availability of food. (b) Accessibility denotes the availability of food for everybody. (c) Being affordable means having enough cash on hand to purchase enough wholesome, safe food to satisfy one's nutritional requirements.

A nation's food security is only guaranteed if

(1) There is sufficient food for everyone. (2) Everyone can purchase food that is of a reasonable caliber. (3) There are no restrictions on getting food.

Why Food Security?

A scarcity of food arises in the affected areas when food grains are not produced as much during natural disasters like droughts. There is a shortage of food, which drives up prices. People are unable to purchase food, and famine may result if a disaster of this nature strikes a large area or lasts for an extended length of time. Severe malnutrition could develop into a famine. Widespread starvation-related mortality, diseases brought on by forced drinking of tainted water or rotting food, and a reduction in physical resistance as a result of starvation-induced weakness are the hallmarks of famine.

Who Are Food-Insecure?

A sizable portion of the population in India has food and nutrition insecurity. The worst impacted groups are those with little or no land, traditional craftsmen, traditional service providers, small-scale independent contractors, and the impoverished, including beggars. Families experiencing food insecurity in metropolitan settings are typically those who work in low-paying jobs or on the casual labor market. These laborers receive extremely minimal pay and perform mostly seasonal tasks. In addition to not being able to purchase food, the social makeup also contributes to food insecurity. Food insecurity is more common among SC, ST, and OBC people whose land productivity is very low or whose land base is weak. Those who relocate in pursuit of employment after natural disasters are among the most food-insecure populations. A sizable fraction of the population experiences food insecurity, including children under the age of five and mothers who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Hunger is another facet of food insecurity, as it not only manifests itself as poverty but also causes it. There are seasonal and chronic aspects to hunger. Diets that are consistently deficient in quantity and/or quality might lead to chronic hunger. The growing and harvesting cycles of food are linked to seasonal hunger. India has strived for food grain self-sufficiency ever since gaining its independence. Following independence, Indian policymakers took all necessary steps to become food grain self-sufficient. India implemented a novel approach to agriculture that gave rise to the "Green Revolution."

Food Security in India

Even in bad weather, the nation has not experienced starvation since the Green Revolution. Over the past three decades, India has achieved food grain self-sufficiency thanks to a diverse range of crops cultivated throughout the nation. The government has implemented a meticulously crafted food security system to guarantee the availability of food grains. The buffer stock and the public distribution system are the two halves of this system.

What Is Buffer Stock?

The food grains, specifically rice, and wheat, that the government purchases through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) are known as buffer stock. Where there is an excess of production, the FCI buys the farmers' supply of rice and wheat. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) is the predetermined price that farmers get in exchange for their products. To encourage farmers to increase the production of certain crops, the government announces the MSP each year before to the sowing season. The purpose of buffer stock is to provide food grains to the underprivileged and in deficit sections of the population at a price below the market price, which is also referred to as the issue price.

What Is the Public Distribution System?

FCI uses ration stores under government control to distribute the food that it purchases from farmers. The Public Distribution System (PDS) is the name of it. Food grains, sugar, and cooking fuel are staples kept in stock by ration shops, also called fair price shops. In response to the Bengal famine in the 1940s, rationing was implemented in India. Three significant dietary intervention projects were launched in the middle of the 1970s:

• Public Distribution System (PDS) for food grains
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
• Food-for-Work (FFW)

Current Status of Public the Distribution System

The Public Distribution System (PDS) is the primary measure implemented by the Indian government to guarantee food security. The nation's Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS) was implemented in 1992. The "poor in all areas" were the focus of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), which was implemented in June 1997. Two unique programs, the Annapurna Scheme (APS) and the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), were introduced in 2000. Over the years, the PDS has shown to be the most successful tool of government policy for stabilizing prices and lowering the cost of food for people. Nonetheless, the Public Distribution System has come under heavy fire for several reasons. It is highly undesirable and wasteful to have a lot of food grains in buffer stocks. Two main crops are farmed in states like Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh: rice and wheat. The sustainable development of agriculture in these states is threatened by the excessive use of water in rice production, which has also resulted in environmental degradation and a decline in water levels.

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Which Group Faces the Greatest Effect of a Food Crisis in India in Class 9 Economics Chapter 4?

While a large section of the population suffers from food and nutrition insecurity, the hardest-hit groups include:

1. Landless people: those with little or no land to depend on in rural areas.

2. Traditional Artisans: People providing petty services or self-employed workers.

3. Urban Poor: casual labourers whose wages are low and their work is seasonal.

4. Socially Disadvantaged Groups: Many members of SC, ST, and OBC communities who have a poor land base.

5. Pregnant Women and Children: These groups are highly vulnerable due to a high incidence of malnutrition.

Green Revolution and its Impact in Economics Chapter 4 

In the late 1960s, India adopted a new strategy in agriculture, which we call the Green Revolution. This was particularly successful in the production of wheat and rice. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, even issued a special stamp titled ‘Wheat Revolution’ in 1968 to celebrate this success.

Because of the Green Revolution, India has avoided famine even during adverse weather conditions. The country has become self-sufficient in food grains over the last few decades because of the variety of crops grown across the nation.

India’s Food Security System in Class 9 Economics 

To ensure food reaches everyone, the Indian government has designed a two-fold system as explained in class 9 economics chapter 4 notes:

1. Buffer Stock

Buffer stock is the stock of food grains, mainly wheat and rice, procured by the government through the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

• The FCI buys wheat and rice from farmers in states where there is surplus production.

• Farmers are paid a pre-announced price called the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

• The MSP is declared every year before the sowing season to provide incentives to farmers.

• This stock is maintained to distribute food grains in deficit areas and among the poorer strata of society at a price lower than the market price, known as the Issue Price.

2. Public Distribution System (PDS)

The food procured by the FCI is distributed through government-regulated ration shops. This is called the Public Distribution System.

• Ration shops, also known as Fair Price Shops, keep stocks of food grains, sugar, and kerosene.

• These items are sold to people at a price lower than the market rate.

• Currently, there are about 5.5 lakh ration shops across India.

Current Status of the Public Distribution System

Over the years, the PDS has been revised to make it more effective.

• RPDS (Revamped Public Distribution System): Introduced in 1992 to target remote and backward areas.

• TPDS (Targeted Public Distribution System): Introduced in 1997 to adopt the principle of targeting the ‘poor in all areas’ by using different prices for People Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL).

• Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): Launched in 2000 for the "poorest of the poor", providing 35 kg of food grains at a highly subsidised rate.

Challenges to Food Security in India

Despite the successes, the PDS faces several criticisms:

• Overflowing Granaries: While FCI godowns are bursting with grain, many people still go hungry. Rats sometimes rot or eat the grain.

• High Carrying Costs: Maintaining massive buffer stocks is expensive for the government.

• Quality Concerns: PDS dealers sometimes trade good quality grain for poor quality grain in the open market.

• Irregular Opening: Many ration shops do not open regularly, making it hard for the poor to get their supplies.

The Role of Cooperatives in Food Security

Cooperatives are playing a massive role, especially in Western and Southern India. They set up shops to sell controlled-rate goods to the poor.

• Mother Dairy: In Delhi, it provides milk and vegetables to consumers at controlled rates decided by the Delhi Government.

• Amul: A success story in milk and milk products from Gujarat, which has brought about the White Revolution in India.

• Academy of Development Science (ADS): In Maharashtra, it has facilitated a network of NGOs for setting up grain banks in different regions to help the poor.

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Summary of Food Security Measures in Class 9 Chapter 4 

The table below provides information about the major features of food security measures in India as discussed in food security in india class 9 notes. Refer to class 9 economics chapter 4 notes for a quick revision.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Economics Chapter 4

CBSE Class 9 Economics Notes Chapter 4 FAQs 

1. What are the three dimensions of food security?

Food security involves availability (food production/imports), accessibility (food within reach), and affordability (money to buy food). These are vital points in class 9 economics chapter 4 notes.

2. What is the role of the Food Corporation of India (FCI)?

The FCI is responsible for purchasing wheat and rice from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and storing it in granaries to create a Buffer Stock for the nation.

3. Who are the most food-insecure people in India?

The most vulnerable groups include landless labourers, traditional artisans, casual urban workers, and people from disadvantaged social groups such as SCs and STs, as noted in Food Security in India class 9 notes.