India ranks 71st out of 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index 2021; Pakistan and Sri Lanka lag behind in terms of food affordability

India ranks 71st out of 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index (GFS) 2021, but it lags behind its neighbors Pakistan and Sri Lanka in terms of food affordability, according to a report. Pakistan (with 52.6 points) scores better than India (50.2 points) in the food affordability category. A global report released on Tuesday by The Economist Impact and Cortiva Aggression said Sri Lanka scores better in this category on the GFS 2021 index with a score of 62.9 points.

Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, France and the United States share the top spot with a total GFS score of 77.8 and 80 points in the index. The GFS Index is designed and produced by the London Economist Impact and sponsored by Corteva Agriscience.

The GFS Index measures the main drivers of food security in 113 countries based on factors such as affordability, availability, quality, safety, natural resources and resilience. It takes into account 58 unique indicators of food security, including income and economic inequality – and highlights systemic gaps and actions needed to accelerate progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger by 2030.

According to the report, India ranks 71st out of 113 countries with a total score of 57.2 in the GFS Index 2021, better than Pakistan (75), Sri Lanka (77), Nepal (79) and Bangladesh (84). Location). But the country lags behind China (34th). In the food affordability category, Pakistan (with 52.6 points) fares better than India (50.2 points). Sri Lanka also performed better with 62.9 points in the GFS 2021 index.

The report added that India outperforms Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the 2021 GFS Index on food availability, quality and safety and the protection of natural resources for food production. However, over the past decade, India’s increasing gains in overall food security scores have fallen short of those achieved by Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

India’s score improved by only 2.7 points to 57.2 in 2021 from 54.5 in 2012 compared to Pakistan by 9 points (to 54.7 in 2021 from 45.7 in 2012), while Nepal reached 7 points (to 53.7 in 2021 from 46.7 points) In 2012). ) and Bangladesh 4.7 points (from 44.4 points in 2012 to 49.1 points in 2021). According to the report, China’s score improved by 9.6 points to 71.3 in 2021 from 61.7 in 2012. Tim Glenn, Executive Vice President and Commercial Director of Corteva Agriscience, said, “GFSI looks beyond hunger to identify the underlying factors affecting food insecurity. around the world.

The results of the GFS Index 2021 also showed that global food security has declined for the second consecutive year after seven years of progress towards the sustainable development goal of ending hunger by 2030. According to Pratima Singh, director of the Global Food Security Index at The Economist Impact, “The index shows that while countries have made significant strides in addressing food insecurity over the past 10 years, food systems remain vulnerable to economic, climatic and geopolitical shocks, including hunger and malnutrition and ensuring food security for all.

Its global report, The Economist Impact, notes that the index shows that addressing these current and future challenges requires sustainable investments in food security – from innovations in yields of climate-resilient crops to investment in programs to help the most vulnerable.