FOOD SECURITY VIZ-A-VIZ FOOD SAFETY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES- AN INDIAN ASPECT

Abstract

India is a country of diversity, very rich in agriculture and natural resources, where
agriculture has been the main occupation of the masses. The food grain production in India
during 2011-12, has been at all time record level of 259.32 million tonnes (GOI 2012-13),
which is supposed to be more than sufficient to feed 1.21 billion population of the country,
but it is ironically and unfortunately true, that despite the huge stock of food grains
available with the Food Corporation of India, (henceforth known as FCI) stray cases of
hunger deaths are still being reported in the country.
Notwithstanding mentions in the Constitution, the hunger and poverty in the country goes
unabated. The State has not been able to provide food to all, at affordable cost. Here, food
means basic agriculture produces, like-wheat, rice, pulses and sugar. All these are
important for a human being, because at least two full diets are required to satisfy the
biological need of food, or hunger. The huge population base and lack of sufficient
domestic production of foodgrain in the past, and import of foodgrain from other countries
(before the green revolution), lack of purchasing power, geographical discontinuity and
difference in supply and demand of food grains in the country, required special efforts by
the central and state governments to create food security net.