Indian and American Perspectives on Food Security

Abstract

This essay examines how the definition of food security has evolved over the years and the causes of food insecurity. It looks at the state of food security in India and the US. It analyzes the food assistance programmes or short-term responses (other than the long-term goals of increasing agricultural productivity, controlling population growth, etc.) of the Indian and American governments to the problem of food insecurity and the challenges they face in implementing these responses. It identifies the target groups for these schemes and the eligibility requirements. Further, the essay analyzes the steps the US and India have taken to attain and maintain food security at the domestic level and makes an assessment of how far they have succeeded. Finally, it compares the programmes and policies of the two governments and concludes that the US has been more effective in dealing with food insecurity than India mainly because its mechanisms target the groups better and deliver the benefits more efficiently.