Food Security in Odisha
Right to food is a major issue that concern the world across has been debating these days, particularly in the context of malnutrition. In Odisha, the vicious circle of drought, migration, poor economy and lack of application of location-specific scientific knowledge in the fields contribute to the grim scenario of acute food insecuroty in the state. In the last decade, Odisha has implemented several programmes to combat food insecurity and malnutrition such as one-rupee subsidized rice, universal PDS in the KBK region, provision of eggs to children and women through ICDS, and MAMATA scheme. Still, a large proportion of Odisha’s population, particularly those living in the tribal and south western districts, continue to suffer from abject poverty and malnourishment. Odisha still lags behind on many key fronts. According to the data of National Family Health Survey-4, the prevalence of stunting and wasting among the under-5 children is 34.1% and 20.4%, respectively. Similarly, 51% of women and 44.6% children are anaemic and chronically energy-deficient and 34.4% children in Odisha are underweight.
Atmashaki recognises malnutrition as a complex and multi-dimensional issue, affected by poverty, inadequate food consumption, inequitable food destruction, improper infant and child feeding and care practices, caste based discrimination, gender inequality, poor sanitary and environmental conditions and extremely limited access to basic healthcare services. Odisha strides in nutrition as the state continues to be plagued by a high level of malnutrition (55%). Under the current Public Distribution System (PDS) with its Above Poverty line/Below Poverty line (APL/BPL) allocations, our survey indicates that up to 40% of the poor families are still deprived from receiving subsidised food. To address these challenges, we are working with our allies Odisha Shramajeebee Mancha and Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha, Odisha with a comprehensive approach that addresses various sectors and dimensions on nutrition. These are:
- Addressing Malnutrition through ICDS & PDS
- Promoting Individual Household Toilets
- Behavioural Change through sensitizing community towards their rights & entitlements.
- Promoting the use of Nutritional Kitchen Garden
- Use of herbal medicines
The work on the ground started in 2012, wherein we undertook a study to assess and understand the interconnects of malnutrition and food security in Odisha’s context. In consultation with grassroots people’s organisation and Sangathan leaders, we drafted a demand charter that focussed on-
- To have the exclusion criteria, so that the left-out eligible households can be included in state food security programme.
- Rice or wheat would alone not address the issue of malnutrition, there has to be added some nutritional supplements under the food security programme
- The demand was to include basic nutritional food at a subsidised rate. OSM and MSMO were the only Jan sangthans which consistently mobilised local communities to raise their voices to have an effective Food security Act. As a result, the government of Odisha finally agreed to people’s demand and announced very constructive eight exclusion criteria, incorporated four from our demands. These demand on exclusion criteria were placed through petitions, letters and postcard campaigns.
The State Government finally has approved eight exclusion criteria on July 5, 2015, for identification of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act. The eight exclusion criteria covered monthly income, income tax payee, persons having two-three-four wheelers, business with Taxpayer Identification Number(TIN), electric consumption above 300 units, any stage government or central governments employee, persons having tractors, power-tillers, fishing boats or other heavy vehicle, persons having entrepreneurship and professional tax payees.
Between June to September 2015, OSM initiated a campaign under which 10 lakh postcards were sent to the Chief Minister of the State. This Campaign was as ‘Mukhyamantrinku Dasha Lakshya Chithi’. Prior to this, these Sangathan members staged Dharnas in front of Governor House and a delegation met with the Governor as well as the Minister Food Supply and Consumer Welfare. A four-day dharna was also held in front of the Odisha Legislative Assembly to carry forward the demands from 9 to 12 August 2015. On 13th August, an all-party political consultation was held on September 13, 2015 in Bhubaneswar. There were parallel dharnas held in eight district headquarters on 14, 15 September 2015. The entire efforts were to carry forward the demands for subsidised nutritious food.
Due to consistent and rigorous campaign, the Food Minister ensured the Sangathan to give a serious thought on including Dal in Kandhamal on a pilot trial. Later, the pilot programme was announced publicly in September 2015.
Key results of the campaign:
- Odisha Government finally announced the 8-points exclusion criteria on July 15, 2015, for the selection of the beneficiaries.
- This led to the inclusion of 90% of beneficiaries in our operational region, which were earlier only 40-50 %.
- Due to the sustained advocacy and campaign efforts through the Sangthan, Kandhmal was selected for pilot testing for the inclusion of pulses.
- Provision of of pulses served instrumental in reducing out It became easy to address the issues of malnutrition, hunger and deaths related to it in the region.
Household Benefited under Food Security after bringing Exclusion Criteria
| Food Security Achievement After Exclusion Criteria | |||||
| S. No | District | Total Blocks | Total GPs | Total villages | Number of families included in NFSA |
| 1 | Kandhamal | 9 | 78 | 741 | 5905 |
| 2 | Malkangiri | 4 | 33 | 538 | 3632 |
| 3 | Boudh | 2 | 27 | 76 | 268 |
| 4 | Gajapati | 1 | 2 | 7 | 145 |
| 5 | Nayagarh | 1 | 7 | 21 | 108 |
| 6 | Koraput | 8 | 58 | 445 | 12633 |
| 7 | Sundargarh | 1 | 6782 | ||
| 8 | Jharsuguda | 1 | 22 | 183 | 15213 |
| 9 | Sambalpur | 2 | 7 | 38 | 2999 |
| Total | 29 | 234 | 2049 | 47685 | |
Thus we can say that more than 47000 Household got benefitted after the implementation of exclusion criteria in our operational blocks in operational districts in Odisha
Introducing the concept of Nutritional Kitchen Garden:
Malnutrition is a serious health problem in India. It retards child growth, increases the risk and duration of illness, reduces work output and slow down the social and mental development. Malnutrition among women of reproductive age increase are susceptible to undernutrition throughout their life. Malnutrition among women not only impacts their own health but also on their children. Therefore, despite India’s 50% increase in GDP since 2013, more than one third of the world’s malnourished children live in India.
After several rounds of meeting and discussions with the field team and community leaders, the potential villages were identified. A detailed field survey was conducted in the selected villages by the jansathis who were ascertained about the health-related issues or status of the identified villages.
Home Gardening is one of the world’s most ancient agriculture practices for food & nutrition supplements. Historically, people have planted vegetables and fruits in their own backyard. To address the above context, the idea of Nutrition Kitchen Garden with organic vegetable gardens integrating local indigenous vegetables and herbs was introduced in Kandhamal by OSM. The concept will star through interested household women from 4 blocks like Koraput in Koraput district, Malkangiri in Malkangiri district, Raikia in Kandhamal district and Hemgir in Sundargrah district of Odisha state initially and later in all blocks of four districts.
Other Events in 2017 to address the issue of malnutrition:
The National Food Security Act implemented by the government of India guarantees 5 Kg of food grain per unit (per person), which comes to 83.3 grams of food grain per person per meal (only if he/she consumes 2 meals a day). The said quantity is insufficient for a deprived person. Apart from this, the Act guarantees only the availability of food grains but does not cater to the issues of malnourishment. The supply of food alone cannot resolve the issues of malnourishment, it needs to be supported at least by basic food supplements like Dal, edible oil, sugar, salt and etc.
As per the latest reports published by WHO, UNICEF, UNO and many other reputed organizations; 55 % of children in rural Odisha are still severely malnourished and 44 % of children below the age of 5-years suffer from fatal diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, typhoid, cholera etc. Malnourishment has been the major cause of creating poor physical and mental development in children especially at a very crucial age group of 0-5 years.
Therefore, Odisha Shramjeebee Manch staged a two-day dharna in front of the legislative assembly of Odisha on from July 10-July 11, 2017 and demanded amendments in Odisha’s ‘Food Security Act’. OSM demanded sufficient quantity of packaged nutritious food like Dal, edible oil, sugar etc to be supplied at a subsidized rate, which would help the poor to lead a dignified life.
Our demands stated below have been intact since the year 2012: Food supplies for each household.
- Per KG price of food grain per household @ Rs. 1/kg.
- 3 kilograms of dal per household @ Rs. 10/kg.
- 1 litre of edible oil per household @ Rs. 10/liter
- 2 kilograms of sugar per household @ Rs. 10/kg. and
- Iodized salt completely free of cost.
- Packaged and Sealed food grain and commodities to be made available with the correct weight, throughout the year.
- PDS centres to be established within a radius of 2 kilometres from all villages.
- Local produces and commodities to be processed and distributed through PDS.
Progress So far-
Despite these intermediate successes, the challenges ahead are not yet over. As of now, we must identify the left-out families and place the dispositions before appropriate authorities. It is much difficult to convince and mobilise the lower-level officials, despite being assured by the higher authorities. They hold the key at block and district level. At the ground-level, the challenges are to get the resolutions passed in Palli/Gram Sabhas to include the basic nutritional food at a subsidised rate. Therefore, addressing questions of malnutrition through ICDS and ODS is yet to find its fullest implementation. Talking about the promotion of kitchen garden, lack of adequate physical space prevents the most vulnerable sections at one end while on the other hand, behavioural ignorance does not let the ones with physical space.
