Consumption Of Food Grains Research Articles

The Many Republics of Hunger

This article is the Sixth Sam Moyo Memorial Lecture delivered by Professor Utsa Patnaik during the SMAIAS/ASN Summer School on January 16, 2023, in Harare. Professor Patnaik argues that the discourse in development economics is so completely dominated by fallacious ideas emanating from the conservative economics departments of universities in advanced industrial countries, and economists in the Global South tend to be so completely hegemonized by these fallacious ideas that they pay little or no attention to long-term trends in their own economies that impact adversely the welfare of the poorest of their own populations. A most important long-term trend—to be precise, the trend over the last four decades of neoliberal policies—has been the declining per capita consumption of food grains in countries of the Global South, associated with their increasing opening up to free trade under the incessant pressure of industrial nations.

Wheat Productivity, Efficiency, and Sustainability: A Stochastic Production Frontier Analysis

The agriculture sector plays a crucial role in the overall development of the country. The sector shares about 24 percent of the GDP and employs about 44 percent of the workforce in the country. Crops sub-sector is the major contributor towards agriculture, sharing more than 53 percent of the value-added. Wheat, being the staple food of Pakistanis, carries immense importance: it contributes about 12 percent of sector value-added, is sown on about 37 percent of the total cropped area, and shares 80 percent in consumption of food grains, while its share in food grain production is around 70 percent. As primary diet, wheat alone shares about 50 percent of the total calories’ and proteins intake in Pakistan, and contributes about 8 percent of the total fat consumed [FAO (Various Issues]. Consequently, overall dietary well being of our people especially the urban and rural poor is largely dependent on the performance of wheat economy.

ROLE AND PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC OF PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ON HOUSEHOLD’S FOOD CONSUMPTION IN ODISHA, INDIA

The Public Distribution System (PDS) in India is the largest distribution network in the world. Odisha is one of the most backward states in India where the food security status of most of the households are appalling. The present study attempted to examin the association between household quantity consumption of food items from PDS and Non-PDS sources by using the data of National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO). It has been shown that there is a significant difference in quantity consumption between PDS and non-PDS sources of food items, while the household consumption of food grains from non-PDS sources is higher than the PDS sources. On the other side the PDS systems have a positive impact on household food consumption. But still, complete food security has not been provided to the beneficiarys families as they were more dependent on non-PDS sources. In this study the rural households were found to have a major share in PDS consumption of rice which was about 54.4% where as urban sectors share which was about 17.9% only. On the other hand, lower Monthly Per Capita Consumption expenditure (MPCE) households have the highest average quantity consumption of PDS sources and the quantity of consumption has been declining with the increase of the households MPCE. KEYWORDS: PDS, Non-PDS, Household Food Consumption, Odisha.

AFLATOXINS IN FOOD GRAINS: CONTAMINATION, DANGERS AND CONTROL

The most concern postharvest safety issue in food grains is aflatoxins production in contaminated stored grains. Consumption of aflatoxins contaminated grains can lead to complicated health issues that can lead to death. Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites commonly produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. They were reported to disturb foetus development, causes changes in living cells, suppresses the immune system and causes many forms of cancers. Aflatoxin B1 was classified under group I carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Aflatoxins contamination affects food security and can hinder international trade due to the strict ban enforce by many nations. Contaminations were reported in raw and processed grains (including ready-to-eat), milk and meat of farm animals and human breastmilk and blood. Major causes of grains aflatoxins contamination are wrong harvesting time and method, improper drying, poor storage and processing and higher moisture in the grains. Literature was gathered through an online search on Google Scholar, attention was given to the articles published in the last 5 years. Causes of fungal contamination, aflatoxins production and their control measures were deliberated, possible means of mitigating aflatoxins contamination through consumption of food grains were also recommended

Sustaining national food security and increasing farmers’ income through quality seed

Since independence, India achieved a distinction from ship-to-mouth status to self dependent, food surplus and net exporter of food grains in 69 years and recorded an all time high (285.2 million tonnes) production during 2018-19 from meagre 50.8 mt during 1950-51. In spite of spectacular success in food production over the years, it is a great challenge to sustain high production as well as enhance it further to meet the future requirement, as the population continues to grow steadily with an annual growth rate of 1.10% and expected to be 1.42 billion and 1.48 billion by 2025 and 2030, respectively, from 1.32 billion during 2017; coupled with enhanced consumption of food grains due to rising income, necessitating an increase of 4.5% and 15.7% by 2020 and 2030, respectively, over the present food production. It is a great challenge in view of climate change, diminishing and degrading land and water resources, increasing biotic and abiotic stresses and loss of bio-diversity. The present paper discusses the trend of production and productivity of food crops from 1950-51 to 2018-19; assess the contribution of seed to food production, seed chain, quality seed production and scope of quality seed for enhancing farmers’ income and future strategies for seed research, production and development to sustain food production. Requisite assets such as a strong crop specific cultivar development programmes, 850 high yielding food crop varieties comprising 657 of cereals and 193 of pulses released during the last six years, robust and vibrant seed systems, quality regulatory mechanism, globally competitive seed sector and the largest arable land with 46 soil types across 15 agro-climatic zones favouring seed production of diverse crops are available for sustaining high food production and meet the future demand for seed and food. Ensuring availability of quality seed in adequate quantity though imperative, yet, itself is not enough to trigger the production if it is not coupled with achieving sufficient varietal diversity in seed chain preferably phasing out gradually the old and obsolete varieties and inducting recently developed high yielding and disease resistant varieties. The overall progress and outcome are largely dependent on Government policies and support, which require consistent and adequate financial resources for sustaining a vibrant seed production, farm power machinery, processing units, storage, seed testing, delivery systems and trained human resources besides remunerative prices to the farmers.

Glyphosate Poisoning with Acute Fulminant Hepatic Failure

Background: Glyphosate containing herbicides are widely used the world over. They are marketed as nontoxic to humans, but numerous studies have showed that these glyphosate-based herbicides (GlySH) can cause multiorgan damage.1 Recent reports of animal studies on rats have raised a doubt of liver damage after long term exposure to GlySH. Case Presentation: a young male had chronic exposure to Glyphosate for 5 years in the form of spraying GlySH in farm and eating cereals sprayed with GlySH. He developed fulminant liver failure after accidental consumption of glyphosate containing herbicide. His liver function deteriorated in spite of supportive treatment. He developed hepatorenal syndrome later and died. Discussion: Studies done on rats have showed that chronic consumption of extremely low levels of a GlySH formulation (Roundup), at admissible glyphosate-equivalent concentrations, is associated with marked alterations of the liver proteome and metabolome.2 It has been reported that chronic exposure to Glyphosate of more than 5 years’ duration due to consumption of food grains sprayed with this herbicide or inhalation of particles results in development of Fatty Liver, i.e., non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Any acute insult can result in decompensation and development of fulminant liver failure. Although this herbicide is relatively safe, other complications like Acute renal failure, Acute pulmonary edema with respiratory distress and shock can also occur. Conclusion: Chronic as well as acute exposure to GlySH can lead to NAFLD and fulminant liver failure. As there is no antidote to glyphosate, clinicians must depend only on intensive supportive management which might not always be fruitful as in our case. It is important to be aware of systemic complications of this commonly used herbicide so that appropriate preventive measures can be taken.

Poverty index with time-varying consumption and income distributions.

Starting from a stochastic agent-based model to represent market exchange in a developing economy, we study time variations of the probability density function of income with simultaneous variation of the consumption deprivation (CD), where CD represents the shortfall in consumption from the saturation level of an essential commodity, cereal. Together, these two models combine income-expenditure-based market dynamics with time variations in consumption due to income. In this new unified theoretical structure, exchange of trade in assets is only allowed when the income exceeds consumption-deprivation while CD itself is endogenously obtained from a separate kinetic model. Our results reveal that the nature of time variation of the CD function leads to a downward trend in the threshold level of consumption of basic necessities, suggesting a possible dietary transition in terms of lower saturation level of food-grain consumption, possibly through an improvement in the level of living. The new poverty index, defined as CD, is amenable to approximate probabilistic prediction within a short time horizon. A major achievement of this work is the intrinsic independence of the poverty index from an exogenous poverty line, making it more objective for policy formulation as opposed to existing poverty indices in the literature.

Two Decades of Geographical Targeting in Food Distribution: Drawing Lessons from an Indian State

Reports emerging from recent studies on public distribution system (PDS) in India show significant improvements in consumption of food grains distributed through the PDS. Odisha is categorized as one of the states which has seen some sort of a revival of PDS (Khera, 2011). This article takes a long-term view of PDS in the State of Odisha, and argues that geographical targeting in Odisha had created a complex system of targeting, leading to large-scale errors of exclusion and information distortions at the ground level. The state subsidy provided by the Government of Odisha had in the past contributed to increased consumption of PDS rice immediately after introduction of targeting. However, in August 2008, the Government of Odisha wound up geographical targeting and started following a uniform price policy which seems to have contributed to a better performing PDS in the state. However, evidences show that in districts where universal PDS is in place, there are still large numbers of families outside the fold of PDS.

Dynamics of Foodgrain Deficiency in India

Food security is a basic requirement of livelihood. A major source of calories is carbohydrates which are mainly derived from foodgrains. This article addresses the foodgrain deficiency in India, across its states, regions and at the household level. The study further analyses the causal effect of subsidies from India’s public distribution system, the share of home-produced foodgrain in total consumption of foodgrains, food diversification, monthly per capita consumption expenditure and socio-religious factors on foodgrain deficiency. The analysis is based on the National Sample Survey’s unit-level data at three points of time: 1999–2000, 2004–05 and 2009–10. Foodgrain deficiency has been captured at the national level and across states by suitably adapting Foster, Greer and Thorbecke’s (1984) measure of poverty. Panel regression has been done at the state-region level to analyse the impact of the above-mentioned determinants on foodgrain deficiency. For the household-level regression, the dependent variable is deviation from the desired norm of 8.6 kg of foodgrain per consumer unit per month. Quantile regression analysis is done at the household level to capture the impact of the determinants at different segments of foodgrain deviations. We find that foodgrain deficiency levels have increased for ‘all-classes’ and the ‘below-poverty-level class’ but the deficiency levels are not very high and can be managed with suitable measures. It is further found that the determinants have a significant influence on foodgrain deficiency and foodgrain deviation at the state-region and household levels, respectively. Suitable policy measures have also been identified. JEL Classification: I31, I32, C21, C23, O10, Q18

Estimates of Per Capita Consumption of Food Grains in Bangladesh

It is generally argued that the estimates of per capita consumption of food grains in Bangladesh are grossly underestimated due to the failure of comprehensively taking into account the consumption of food items made of rice and wheat at home and outside. To give some insight into this debate, this study revisited the per capita consumption of food grains through a primary survey of a nationally representative sample in 2012 by considering a comprehensive list of 36 food grains items that are consumed at both home and outside. The findings of this study show that the per capita consumption of food grains estimated from the BIDS survey, 2012 is higher than that reported by the BBS estimates based on the HIES 2010. Using the LA/AIDS model, the projection shows that the demand for both rice and wheat will decrease in both rural and urban areas, albeit marginally. The estimated per capita consumption of rice and wheat, the price and income elasticities thereof, and the consequent projections can be used as instruments for the integrated and effective planning on food grains distribution and management in Bangladesh. Moreover, BBS and other organisations involved in foodgrain consumption estimates may consider the methodologies applied in this study in their future surveys and research studies.

Is more inclusive more effective? The ‘New Style’ public distribution system in India

The targeted public distribution system (TPDS) of India—world’s largest food safety-net program—has a reputation for poor targeting, rampant corruption and low impact. Five states of India modified TPDS by reducing targeting, lowering grain prices to Rs.1–3 per kg and tightening its administration. This paper assesses the impact of changes in the TPDS on household food consumption using data from a repeated cross-section of Indian households from five rounds of representative consumption surveys between 1993–1994 and 2009–2010. We use the Difference-in-Difference (DID) method to identify the policy impact, first on consumption of food-grains, and second, on food expenditure. We find that modifications in TPDS led not only to an increase in the purchase of subsidized grains from fair-price shops, but also to diversification of the food basket of poor households. We also find evidence for reduction in the diversion of grains from TPDS to the open market in reform states. Finally, we present suggestive evidence that a food policy reform is likely to fail if price and targeting policy components are not accompanied by effective administrative measures to reduce corruption and improve the logistics of subsidized food distribution. These are important findings for India’s own National Food Security Act (NFSA) and for other food safety-net programs throughout the developing world.

Contract Farming: A Boon to Farmers

Farming is an age-old means of livelihood for millions of India’s small and marginal farmers. Contract farming has been in existence for many years as a means of organizing the commercial agricultural production of both large– scale and small–scale farmers. In an age of market liberalization, globalization and expanding agri-business, there is a danger that small-scale farmers will find difficulty in fully participating in the market economy. In the era of globalization, the concept of ‘Contract farming’ is an effective way to co-ordinate and promotes production and marketing in agriculture. “Contract farming can be defined as an agreement between farmers and processing or marketing firms for the production and supply of agricultural products under forward agreements frequently at predetermined prices.” Sustained income growth and urbanization are causing rapid changes in the “food consumption, production and marketing” in India. Over the last two decades, there has been a rapid increase in per capita consumption of highvalue foods like fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, egg and fish, while consumption of food grains remained almost unchanged. Many big companies are coming in the field of agriculture and veterinary related business due to high demand. This has led to development of contract farming in India.

Food Security in India: Performance and Concerns

One of the prime concerns of India’s policies has been the food and nutritional security to its population. The three important components of food security are: availability, access, and absorption (nutrition). These three are interrelated. The major aim of this paper is to examine the performance in food security in India in respect of these three components. In respect of availability, The average annual growth rates in Yields of Food grain Production and in Area under cultivation for Food grain Production have been computed for five time periods; pre green revolution 1950-51 to 66-67), early green revolution (1967-68 to 1979-80), mature green revolution (1980-81 to 1989-90), early economic reforms (1990-91 to 1999-00), and economic reforms (2000-01 to 2011-12). The food grains production has deteriorated when India entered in the era of globalization. The free market play has adversely affected the production of food grains and the rate of growth of food grains production declined after the introduction of New Economic Policy (NEP) in India. So far as the accessibility aspect of food security is concerned, long term trend in consumption pattern at household level shows that per capita direct consumption of food grains has been declining. Further India’s performance in food security on nutritional outcomes has not been very satisfactory. The Global Food Security Index 2012 released in New Delhi in September, 2012, placed India in a moderate category. It ranked India 66th among 105 nations and cited affordability rather than availability as a key food security threat for Indians. India scored highest in food availability (51.3) but lowest (38.4) in terms of food access. It also points to its poor ability to move food efficiently because of infrastructure problems. Similarly, in food security index 2013, India slipped to 70 position. We live in paradoxical times, and it is not the shortage of food but the lack of a proper food distribution network that is to blame.

Characterization of Rice [Oryza saliva L.] germplasm based on iron and zinc content

Hidden hunger is caused by the consumption of food grains (rice) which are deficient in mineral micronutrients specifically iron and zinc. This hunger affects more than one-half of the world's population especially woman and children in developing countries causing anemia and child blindness because 60 per cent of the world's population is dependent on rice as their staple food. Considering this biofortification as one of the suitable approaches was considered for improving the Fe and Zn content and their bioavailability in rice grain. Local landraces of rice were collected and Fe and Zn content were quantified for their genotypic characterization. Iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) content of 112 local landraces were estimated according to Lindsey and Norwell by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer Varian Speetra AA 50B. Iron concentration ranged from 0.25μg/g to 3.25μg/g and zinc from 0.85μg/g to 195.3μg/g in the landraces. Highest iron containing rice was Swetonunia with 34.8μg/g and highest Zn was found in Nepali Kalam which was 195.3μg/g. Zn content is quite comparable to other HYVs and can be used as donor parent in breeding program for biofortification of micronutrient Zn.

An Analysis of Food Demand in China: A Case Study of Urban Households in Jiangsu Province

C has had one of the world’s most rapidly developing economies for at least the past two decades. Population growth, accompanied by recent economic growth and rapid urbanization, has led to an increase in food demand and a considerable change in the composition of foods consumed in China. Rural households (roughly 60% of China’s consumers) decreased their per capita at-home consumption of food grains from 262 kg per person in 1990 to 219 kg per person in 2004, a decrease of over 16%. At the same time, they raised their per capita at-home consumption of foods of animal origin (meats, poultry, eggs, aquatic products, and dairy products), from 28 kg per person in 1990 to 42 kg per person in 2004, an increase of 50%. Urban at-home consumption of foods has changed even more drastically. The per capita consumption of food grains declined by 40%, from 131 kg in 1990 to 78 kg in 2004; whereas per capita consumption of foods of animal origin increased by 78%, from 41 kg in 1990 to 73 kg in 2004 [China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 1991–2005]. Considering that China has over one-fifth of the world’s consumers and an economy that has grown at an average rate of 9–10% annually since 1978, this country’s changing food consumption patterns have the potential to significantly impact the global magnitude and pattern of food demand. Research is needed to provide a better understanding of China’s food buyer preferences and the potential for marketing food in China. Several studies have been conducted on China’s household demand for food. However, these studies have not taken into account the more recent changes in economic structure in China, including the rapidly rising incomes during the past decade. These past studies have used a variety of data, including aggregate time-series data (Lewis and Andrews), aggregate city-level cross-sectional data (Wu, Li, and Samuel), pooled time-series and cross-sectional data at the provincial

Planned marketing channel and its impacts upon the quantitative pattern of the Chinese food—grain consumption

This study is concerned with the issue of planned marketing policy and its impacts upon the patterns of food-grain consumption. The quantitative estimation is carried out using dummy variable model and effects analysis. The results indicate that the regional differentiation is the significant characteristic in the Chinese food-grain consumption. Without substantial improvement both of the effectiveness of the governmental policies and the efficiency of marketing operation, the regional differences seem to be a long-term feature of the patterns of food-grain consumption in China. © 1994 by John Wiley & sons, Inc.

Book Review: Production and Consumption of Foodgrains in India: Implications of Accelerated Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation

Book Review: Production and Consumption of Foodgrains in India: Implications of Accelerated Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation

Trade and stabilization: Another look at British India's controversial foodgrain exports

In keeping with its avowed policy of promoting free trade, the government of India resisted demands for bans on the export of foodgrains during the numerous severe famines of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This paper assesses the relevance to India of the arguments made for free trade as a food consumption stabilization policy. An estimate is made of the quantitative effect of external trade in buffering domestic foodgrain consumption from output uncertainty. The results suggest that, while trade did have a stabilizing influence, the effect was small, particularly in the short run. Alternative explanations for this are examined.

Implementation of food distribution policies: A case study in South India

Public policy for foodgrains distribution and consumption in Coimbatore District of South India involves processing through state trading institutions, and distribution through fair price shops, Food for Work and Employment Guarantee Schemes. Policies are evaluated in terms of their objectives, and institutions for the implementation of policy are analysed in terms of the way in which they mobilize and distribute resources: foodgrains, capital and labour. Although this deficit district has captured shares of Tamil Nadu State's publicly distributed grain which are disproportionate to its share of the state's ‘vulnerable’ population, nevertheless, schemes to increase the latter's foodgrain consumption have been patchily implemented over space and time, and they have had little measurable impact on intended beneficiaries.

6.1 Milk production in India

Two contrasting viewpoints may be taken regarding recent agricultural trends in India. The first is positive; it highlights the large stock of foodgrains now established, the expansion of the irrigable areas and the relative price stability of basic foods. The second is more pessimistic; it notes the lack of any improvement in foodgrain consumption per capita, the large investment costs required per unit of incremental output in the new irrigation schemes, the increase in the number of rural poor, the extent of the unemployment problem and the decline in availability and consumption of high protein foods. A less controversial aspect of the agricultural scene is provided by the progress of the national dairy development programme, which is now attracting considerable international support. This note highlights some features of the dairy programme.