Mathur Ritika Passi

However, the MDGs failed to address
food security and agriculture, two issues
that are separate from, but integral to, the
achievement of the goal of ending hunger.
The Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) recognise the importance of
differentiating between the concerns
of hunger, food security and nutrition,
as well as the importance of increasing
productivity through the promotion of
sustainable agriculture to achieve the
desired long-term results. 3 Consequently,
unlike the MDGs, hunger has a dedicated
goal within the new agenda. The second
goal of the SDGs, however, is not limited
to ending hunger, but aims to “end hunger,
achieve food security and improved
nutrition and promote sustainable
agriculture.”
Through its eight associated targets, SDG 2
aims to eradicate hunger through increased
access to sufficient food (target 2.1). It
also emphasises ending child malnutrition,
and addressing the nutritional needs of
adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating
women (target 2.2). While in the past,
the relevant hunger eradication goal
was focused on measuring hunger only
through calorific intake, SDG 2 also takes
into consideration the nutritional value
of food. The proposed indicators address
micronutrient deficiencies, undernutrition,
malnourishment and birthweight.
In addition to drawing the linkages
between food security, nutrition and
sustainable agriculture (target 2.3), the goal
also addresses other fundamental issues
that cause food insecurity, such as gender
inequality, social exclusion and unequal
access to opportunities. The proposed
indicators emphasise small holders and
small-scale farming systems. Thus, the
agenda showcases an integrated, equitybased
approach that prioritises vulnerable
populations and agriculture systems, and
also views them as agents of change. It
aims to double the agricultural productivity
while ensuring sustainable food production
systems and implementing climate-resilient
agricultural practices.
The three targets (2.a, 2.b, 2.c) promote
enhanced international cooperation,
prevention of trade restrictions,
improvements in the functioning of food
commodity markets, and increase in
agricultural and infrastructural investments.
Given the ambitious agenda and the allinclusive
approach, SDG 2 is likely to act as
a lens for policymaking in both developed
as well as developing countries. However,
it must be acknowledged that eradicating
hunger has long been a national priority
for India, for both the Union as well as
state governments, but with limited success.
Given this context, it is essential to map
out how the SDG agenda fills the existing
loopholes to complement the country’s
ongoing efforts to achieve food security.
Hunger, Nutrition and Food Security
Home to an estimated 1.2 billion people,
India is the second most populous country
in the world. Eradicating acute poverty and
hunger has historically been central to the
country’s development policies. The First
Five Year Plan, launched in 1951, allocated
17.4% of its total budget towards agriculture
and community development. 4 Following
years of dependence on food imports, India
experienced a Green Revolution in the
1960s, brought about by increased yields
due to unprecedented advancements in
agronomic technology. 5
In recent years, the country has experienced
rapid economic growth and is now
self-sufficient in food grains production,
despite possessing only 3% of the world’s
arable land. 6 Globally, India has the largest
area under cultivation for wheat, rice
and cotton. It is also amongst the largest
producers of milk, pulses and spices. 7
It is therefore evident that India has
effectively used agriculture technologies
and innovations, and made substantial
investments in human and capital resources,
to emerge as a strong global food producer.
Further, India has also solidified its position
in the international food trade arena
despite prioritising internal food security.
In November 2014, for instance, the World
Trade Organization(WTO) acceded to
India’s demand to remove constraints on
food stockpiling. 8
Despite these developments, social inequity
and exclusion continue to manifest in
the forms of pervasive poverty, hunger
and malnourishment in the country. 9 In
this context, SDG 2 can prove to be the
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