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economic policies. This is necessary in order to bring about the much-needed political will that is
often lacking, to focus adequate attention on food security policies. Without adequate political pressure
for reform, proper food security policies are unlikely to be adopted. There can be no question that
the political mobilization of the poor is required for such a food security policy to be implemented.
All these changes in the understanding and context meant that 20 years after the 1975 World Food
Summit, there was a substantial shift in understanding the meaning of food security. From the 1975
emphasis on adequate food supply, the 1996 World Food Summit declared ‘…food security, at the
individual, household, national, regional and global levels …exists when all people, at all times, have
physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and
food preferences for an active and healthy life.’ (FAO, 1996, 3, emphasis added). The declaration further
recognized that ‘poverty eradication is essential to improve access to food.’
The international discourse on food security has further developed along the lines of the right to food.
This right to food (as discussed in greater detail in the Appendix on Right to Food) derives from the
1948 UN Declaration on Universal Human Rights. Through subsequent instruments, the meaning of
the right to food has been spelt out. In particular, the 1999 International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights clarified the obligations of states in the context of the realization of the right to
food. As put forward in General Comment 12, the right to food identifies three kinds of obligations of
states: not to adopt measures that would prevent access to food; to adopt measures to ensure that no
individuals are deprived of access to adequate food; and to proactively engage in activities that
strengthen people’s access to food, including means to ensure their livelihood and food security. There
is also an obligation of states to fulfil that right directly, when people cannot obtain adequate food through
the means at their disposal (or, normal entitlements) (Charlotte McClain Nhalpo, 2004).
In India, following the case filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), the Supreme Court
has passed a number of judgments and orders on realizing the right to food (see Appendix on Right to
Food for details). These include orders to implement the Mid-Day Meals Scheme (MMS) in primary
schools in all states, the provision of work, etc. Consequently, it is in the context of the international
and national obligations, following the acceptance of the right to food, that this Report looks at the
ways to realize food security.
1.2 Structure of the Report
This report is an effort to provide a district level profile of food security in Rajasthan. As the country
moves towards greater devolution and decentralization, data at disaggregated levels remains a
stumbling block. District-level data is notoriously inadequate and this report urges that greater
attention be paid to data collection and dissemination at the sub-state levels. While Chapter 1
introduces the concept of food security, Chapter 2 provides an overview of the state and places it in
the context of other states in the country. In line with the current and correct approach that emphasizes
8 FOOD SECURITY ATLAS OF RURAL RAJASTHAN