Development Of Sustainable Food Systems For Improved Nutritional Security In India

Abstract

The rise in the population and environmental pressure due to climate change is increasingly affecting food security and nutrition concerns. Traditional systems of farming is not able to produce sufficient food and provide required nutrition to communities. As a result, malnutrition and deficiency diseases are prevailing in India. In 2024, the Global Hunger Index ranked India 105^th out of 127 countries with a score of 27.3. According to the United Nations, there are nearly 195 million undernourished people in India that make up a quarter of the world's undernourished population.

So, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable food system in India. The study explores the ability of sustainable food systems to enhance nutrition with a feeling of ecological balance. The design used was mixed-methods that combined quantitative surveys of 500 consumers, policymakers, and non-food producers in sustainable food-producing regions with qualitative interviews with farmers, consumers, and community leaders. The relationship between food security, nutrition outcomes, and sustainable practices was examined with the help of descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results indicated that individuals involved in sustainable systems enjoyed improved quality of diets, food security and good health status: 72 percent population consumed more fruit, 70 percent of respondents were taking balanced diet as per recommendations, and 60 percent experienced positive changes in health, including decreased BMI and regulated blood pressure. There were, however, economic constraints, lack of resources and awareness that hampered adoption. The research concludes that sustainable food systems contribute to greatly enhanced nutrition and access to nutritious food, but they need to overcome economic and infrastructural hurdles, offer incentives, and enhance the policy support while promoting future research on the impacts of sustainable food systems.