India has the world’s largest food-based social protection programme that provides subsidized rations to over 800 million people every month to ensure the food security of economically marginalized households. Despite that, India’s global ranking on the global hunger index is a concern. In order to better the situation, the government is continuing to build and promote safety nets like the National Food Security Act, 2013, which provides for coverage up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population for receiving free food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (PDS). However, PDS's role in tackling hunger and malnutrition is limited. Globally, modern approaches to food security are measured based on nutrition outcomes—not simply access to food. Going forward, it requires ensuring adequate nutrition for every individual using an overall ecosystem-based approach.
Terre Des hommes and its implementing partners contribute to securing nutrition security by supporting over 20,000 marginalized households to set up diverse nutrition gardens and grow local food in underdeveloped districts of states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra. The objective of the diverse food projects is not only to increase access to the diverse food but also to ensure that women and children have equal access to it. It has resulted in improving diverse food intake and addressing anaemia among women and children. Over 15,500 children and women enjoy access to green and nutritious food, which aids in increasing their ability to participate in economic and personal development activities. The programmes are designed to ensure that the interventions are climate resilient by promoting organic cultivation methods, e.g., adapting to seasonal conditions, conserving indigenous seeds, recharging water sources, adopting seasonal cultivation patterns, etc. It has led to a significant drop in women’s and children’s malnutrition.
The strategies that proved effective in achieving these results were enhancing community knowledge on food and nutrition, participation of the community in reviving local food, reducing cultural disparity, building community-based monitoring mechanisms, children and mothers’ data management, and convergence of intergovernmental departmental programmes. The existing government food and nutrition policies need significant adjustments for the integration of these strategies to overcome food and nutrition insecurity, especially among marginalised communities in India.
I feel very privileged and proud to be associated with Terre Des Hommes and to be instrumental in designing and accompanying these initiatives. Though it is a small contribution, it is very promising to contribute towards attaining the sustainable goal “Zero Hunger” and facilitating children to grow healthy and happy.
Sampat Mandave
Programme Coordinator- Weste Zone
Terre Des Hommes Germany- India Programme
June 2025