FOOD SECURITY AND THE STORAGE WOES-IS THE COUNTRY FULLY PREPARED?

The "courageous" Government at Delhi (or is it food hardy?) has now jumped into the so called food security program, one wonders what is in store for the country. It looks like government is ignoring the time tested saying that "a bird in hand is two worth in the bush"! That is not doing much to develop the economy while indulging in resource sapping free food distribution extravaganza. The country may end up with neither hungry alleviation nor economic growth. The brutal butchering of Indian rupee in the currency market during this midweek is a warning signal which can be ignored only at the expense of the economic security of this country. The much touted food security bill which garnered support from practically every party did not had the courage to stand up against this populism and voter bribing attempt through this bill and therefore each one of them will be responsible for the economic consequences of implementing an impractical scheme. Here is an informed critique from well reputed experts about the gullibility of this latest action of the federal government. 

"As the procurement of food grains increase, the storage capacity should be appropriate, explained Sabnavis, "If we look at the bill closely, 60 million tones would be distributed annually, on an average five million a month. This means 55 million tonnes would be lying in the warehouses and if we add buffer stock to it, we would move closer to 100 million tonnes of capacity. Hence, we would require appropriate mechanisms for storage." Ashok Gulati, chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, told Business Standard it was a debatable issue as to how much food grains were damaged. "Twelve million tonnes in Punjab and five-six million tonnes food grains in Haryana are lying in the open. The International Mechanical Engineers estimates say that every year 21 million tones of wheat is damaged in India. Hence, that goes without saying that we need better infrastructure to take care of our produce", said Gulati. The total storage capacity available for central pool stocks was 74.6 million tons as on July 30 this year. However, Gulati believed that unless it is announced what the buffer stocks norms in the Bill are, one cannot know how much produce needs to be stocked. He felt that not more than 51-52 million tones storage capacity will be required for implementing the proposed scheme.  "This is because we need to match our procurement with distribution and at present, we are keeping much larger stocks than we need", added Gulati".

Is it not a pity that no one in the country, least of all those governing the country, has a clue regarding the way to go about in implementing this massive scheme though every one is talking about crossing "the bridge when we reach there"! As rightly said the storage and distribution system as it exists in most states are woefully inadequate to deliver the promises contained in the bill and it is not going to be easy to rectify the same over night even if action is taken to day. With very little evidence about any improvement in the management efficacy of those entrusted with grain storage and distribution, the country will continue to waste grains and allow pilferage through many leaky points through out the system. It is gut wrenching for every honest and conscientious India to be told by experts that more than more than 18 million tons of precious food grains that can feed the population for three months are lying in the open without protection from the spoilage vectors and elements! Another 21 million tons are reported to be damaged every year in the country as assessed by some international agencies. With only a few months remaining for general election there is a lurking suspicion that this food security program will be abandoned once the election over!   

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

CHENNAI VS DELHI-THE FOOD SECURITY DEBATE

Now that the much touted Food Security Act (FSA) is brought through the backdoor via the despicable route of an Ordinance, bypassing the Parliament, many states who are in the forefront in running efficient Public Distribution System (PDS) with high degree of efficiency and low pilferage are being penalized by making them restrict the coverage to only those who are poor. In a state like Himachal Pradesh, if reports are to be believed even the family of the Chief Minister buys the ration through the PDS shops at subsidized prices. Same is true with Tamil Nadu also which boasts of a highly efficient PDS plus several programs like distribution of subsidized fresh fruits and vegetables and low cost canteens selling popular preparations at very low pries for the benefit of poor people. FSA ordinance can adversely affect such programs which is a retrograde step with dangerous consequences to the citizenry. Here is a critic's view of the FSA ordinance and its implications.

"Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has emerged among the strongest voices against the Food Security Bill, which is being pushed by the UPA government. She recently wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to exempt Tamil Nadu from the implementation of the ordinance that brought the Food Security Bill into force. Apart from the political overtones that such a request might be seen to have, experts in the field of food policy say there could be sound logic to Jayalalithaa's plea for exemption. Jayalalithaa had reasoned that Tamil Nadu has for many years now had a Public Distribution System (PDS) that can be availed by all the residents of the State. She said the introduction of the provisions of the Food Security Bill would remove the cover from a portion of the population, ruining the all-inclusive nature of Tamil Nadu's PDS cover. The Food Security Bill makes provisions for different categories of beneficiaries, with the aim to allot more food grains to poor families and less for the better off. A majority of political parties have objected to provisions of the Food Security Bill, especially with relation to the structures and procedures for the determination of beneficiaries and the mode of distribution itself. The continuing lack of clarity on these fronts was behind the repeated disruption of proceedings in Parliament whenever the Bill came up for discussion. The Bill also saw strong opposition from a number of State governments. States like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan have over the years made changes to their PDS structures to make them more inclusive, based either on local needs or on political considerations. The implementation of the Food Security Bill would mean an erosion of the political gains from the inclusiveness of these systems. Tamil Nadu has had PDS-for-all plus a strong co-operative movement and government interventions. The Amma Unavagams and Farm Fresh Consumer Outlets, which offer subsidised vegetables, fall under the category of interventions. According to Jayalalithaa, Tamil Nadu's systems and interventions have given greater food and nutrition security than can possibly be delivered by the Food Security Bill in its present form'.

There are many critics who have raised their voice against the FSA ordinance and all their criticisms have been brushed aside by the government which calls this foolish program with grave economic consequences to the country as a "game changer". People of this country will never forgive these politicians for the political chicanery being indulged by them for the sake of electoral gains and will see through the game by the time general election arrives in a few months time from now. The rotten grains that lie with the government grain agencies which otherwise are not even fit for animal consumption are going to be supplied in the coming months once the FSA is operationalized and then only the people are going to realize the magnitude of fraud the government is indulging in the name of food security! Unfortunately many opposing political groups do not have the guts to point out the failings of the policy for fear of consumer backlash. As one critic has recently pointed out Government is more bothered about quantity rather than quality and nutrition and this is amply proven by the lethargy with which the food safety and standards act is being implemented leaving the market in the hands of fraudsters and adulterators giving them free hand to indulge in trading in unsafe foods. During the coming twelve months Indian citizens may face the reality of all round food inflation and food scarcity because of the opportunistic policies of the present government. 

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

GMO "CHICKEN" COMING TO ROOST!-LEGAL CHALLENGE AGAINST THE PERPETRATORS

Genetically modified food is so common in the US, it does not make news any more with many Americans, resigned to their helplessness as the State is refusing to check the spread of these potentially harmful versions of many staple foods. Obviously the regulatory authorities are either afraid of the financial muscle of giant GMO companies which are dominating the landscape in that country or the dangerous nexus between politicians and these monopolists, paralyzing the entire food safety monitoring system of the country. It is shocking that more than 80% of foods in the American market contain varying levels of GMO foods without the citizen ever knowing about it because of the non-transparent labeling policy. It is in this context that the accidental contamination of natural wheat fields in some farms in the US with GM wheat came as a shock to many GMO sensitive consumers and traditional wheat farmers. It befitting that the affected farmers have gone for legal action against those responsible  for it demanding financial compensation. Here is a take on this new development with far reaching implications.  

Two wheat farms in Eastern Washington filed a lawsuit Thursday against agricultural giant Monsanto, claiming their business has been damaged by the discovery of genetically modified wheat in Oregon. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Spokane, seeks class-action status and damages to be determined by the court. Separately, the Center for Food Safety filed a lawsuit in the same court Thursday also seeking class-action status for Northwest wheat farmers. Its fellow plaintiffs are Clarmar Farms and wheat farmer Tom Stahl, both of Douglas County The actions come after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said last week that a farmer in Oregon found genetically modified wheat in his field almost a decade after Monsanto stopped testing that type of wheat. The two Washington farms in the first suit — Wahl Ranch in Adams County and Dreger Enterprises in Lincoln County — grow soft white wheat, the variety prevalent in the Northwest and the type grown by the Oregon farmer who found a genetically modified strain in his field. As a result of the discovery, Japan stopped its customary order of soft white wheat last week. "We've seen a drop in future and current cash prices on wheat already, and at least one shipment of wheat turned away or refused. We think this is actual damage," said Kim Stephens, a partner at Tousley Brain Stephens in Seattle, one of two firms representing the farms. The other is the Hausfeld, a Washington, D.C., firm. Monsanto Chief Litigation Counsel Kyle McClain said in an emailed statement that there is "scant basis for a lawsuit."

Of course the GMO lobby will protest with all its power that they are not responsible for the accidental contamination and condemn the class action suit with contempt! The consequences of the discovery of GM wheat among natural wheat plants will definitely affect American wheat exports in a very significant way. While almost the whole world is shunning GMO products, America is stubbornly clinging to GMO products which are being showed through the throat of millions of consumers who have no choice but to continue with their lives like a conditioned flock of sheep! It is still not clear as to how the American government certifies GM products as safe and natural when tons of scientific data say otherwise! It is time that the rest of the world massively boycott American agricultural products to send the message that GM foods are not acceptable unless independent confirmation about their safety is established. 

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES-GOING OUT OF THE DIET?

It may be a global phenomenon that the market prices of fresh protective foods are always higher than durable foods with predominant starch content like cereals. For example in many western countries fruits and vegetables costs an average consumer almost two to three times more for getting the recommended minimum quantity in the daily diet compared to cereal based foods. Glaringly food industry manufactures more high calorie foods at low costs attracting more and more poor income group consumers than those based on fruits and vegetables. Naturally high calories foods with high sugar, starch, fat and salt flood the market with palate tingling quality and the result is there for all to see with people bloated bodies swelling the ranks of the population day by day, the obesity epidemic showing no sign of being contained. If this is the case of rich nations what could be the situation in a poor country like India? According recent studies, the syndrome of excluding fruits and vegetables from every day diet is spreading fast in India with very serious future implications on the health of the already nutrition compromised population. Here is a take on this new disturbing trend.  

"The fear of bad monsoon has suddenly hiked the vegetables and fruits prices by 300% from the farm to your dining table," Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) said in a survey on "Rising prices of fruits and vegetables" in which over 5,000 people took part. Over 88% of middle income group (MIG) and lower income group (LIG) find difficult to manage the household budget and squeezing families' finances to the lowest level due to uncertainty of rains, according to a country-wide survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) under the aegis of ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation (ASDF). The survey was conducted in major places like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Bangalore and so on.  During the last three years, the salary of average common man has gone up by 10-15% but on the other side the prices of vegetables have also gone up by 250-300%,adds the ASSOCHAM paper. The maximum impact was felt in major cities like Delhi (1st), Mumbai (2nd), Ahmedabad (3rd), Kolkata (4th), Chennai (5th), Hyderabad (6th) and Pune (7th). Around 82% of lower middle class families have been forced to skip or squeezed their budgets for vegetables because of skyrocketing prices.
The prices of most of the widely consumed vegetables have shot up during the last two weeks in most parts of the country with the early onset of monsoon rains. The sudden increases of vegetables prices have seriously hit the common men mainly in the metro cities, adds D S Rawat, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM"

Is it not tragic that the so called democratically elected government is indulging in petty politics by bringing an ordinance on food security (old wine in new bottle!) that is supposed to legally 'guarantee" two thirds of the population with some hypothetical quantity of rotten cereals? Assuming that the guaranteed quantity is delivered without any operational hiccups and imagining the grain is edible, does the government feel that its duty is just to keep the "body and soul" of its citizens together without providing any means of nourishment through protective foods? The spooky statistics from the government may say that there is less than 5% inflation in the country but the prices of essentials like fruits and vegetables have gone through the roof recently! The traders are now quoting the rate of these foods "per quarter kilo" to make it appear reasonable, a gimmick that may not go well with the consumers. Probably if the government further shirks its responsibility for ensuring "nutrition security" to its citizens, traders may start selling such foods "per 100 grams" basis by next year!   

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

      

FOOD SECURITY BILL-A HALF BAKED MEASURE?

The recent debate on proposed food security bill in the Parliament during December last was indeed very illuminating and those who blocked the drat Bill deserves country's gratitude for at least temporarily stopping the madness of the Government in pushing through a legislation considered "half baked". Inappropriately called Food Security Bill, it cannot ensure food safety in the country which is operating a Public Distribution System full of "holes" enabling fraudsters, gangsters, looters of all colors with or without political nexus to siphon off more than 50% of the food grains channeled through this leaky operation. Every one including the promoters of this scheme knows that public money is being wasted under a populist scheme increasing the food subsidy drastically, that too for a country reeling under heavy current account deficit. Here is a critique on this subject which is still being dangled across the nation as a remedy to abolish poverty in the land. 

"Earlier, Chairman of the Commission of Agricultural Costs Ashok Gulati, in his deposition before the panel, had said that the implementation of the Bill would be a massive challenge as nearly two-thirds of the population, 1.2 billion, will have to be covered by it. Similarly, the Union Agriculture Ministry, in its submission,  also expressed its reservations towards the Bill. According to sources, the panel is likely to recommend giving legal right over subsidised food grains to 67 per cent of the country's population, in line with the Food Security Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011. The panel will also suggest the Centre to give freedom to state governments to identify the number of beneficiaries. However, the consensus is yet to be reached on the quantity of food grain to be supplied to beneficiaries. The proposed Bill aims to supply seven kg of food grain per person each month to priority households and three kg to general households. But some members demanded that entitlement over subsidised grains should be on the basis of each family instead of an individual as this will benefit large families".

It is recognized that subsidized food should be given to those who are impoverished, under nourished and poor but supplying the grains at Rs 1-3 per kg for a majority of the population is silly and ridiculous, amounting to profligacy! Rupee has lost its value very significantly during the last one decade and even beggars do not accept one rupee as alms because of its very low purchasing value. In a country like India where minimum wages are continuously being hiked reaching almost Rs 150 per day, where is the need for distributing food grains at Rs 1-3 per kg as most families can afford to buy the food grains at considerably much higher prices, say Rs 10-15 per kg. Why should the scheme cover families with monthly incomes as high as Rs 5000 and above? It is time that conscious effort is made by the government to fix the criteria for deserving recipients and confine supply of low cost food grains only to such families. Probably such a decisive step may bring down the food subsidy by almost 70-80% of the present outgo. The dynamics of politics should not interfere while evolving such national policies of far reaching importance.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD SECURITY AND GM TECHNOLOGY-WHAT IS THE CONNECTION?

The furious debate regarding the relevance and need for wide scale adoption of genetically modified crop technology world wide does not seem to be abating in spite of tons of scientific reports supporting as well as decrying this new agricultural tool emanating from many research institutions world over. Hardly a day passes without any publication coming out in this subject of intense interest for the consumer as well as policy makers. While the claim that GM technology can raise yield has not yet been conclusively established, it can cut down field losses due to some pests cannot be denied. Similarly long term safety of all GM crops is till uncertain though short term studies do not indicate they are harmful. Environmental issues are still to be sorted out as many fear that wide scale cultivation of GM crops can wipe out the native species over a period of time through contamination. Here is the latest on this subject which only adds to the already existing confusion. 

The US Congress adopted a clause in its 2013 agriculture budget bill that effectively bars the department of agriculture from any attempt to halt planting or harvesting a GM crop, even if the call comes from the judiciary, sparking outrage. India imposed a 10-year moratorium on field trials of GM crops in 2012. Organizations like Greenpeace and activists worldwide welcomed India's decision, but the IFPRI report describes it as a significant setback to food policy, and mainstream scientists argue that GM crops offer a way out of deepening food insecurity as growing conditions like the weather and water become compromised by climate change. IFPRI researchers P K Joshi and Devesh Roy note that the moratorium, "not based on scientific logic, will have negative effects on frontier research and demand-driven technology generation". The adoption of the US clause, nicknamed the "Monsanto Protection Act", was described by Greenpeace as a "sad day for democracy and the future of our food". Mark Bittman, a food writer for the New York Times, cites interviews with the Union of Concerned Scientists stating that GM crops purported to be weed- and insect-resistant are actually failing.  There is no reliable proof that GM crops are harmful to human beings. "That's not the same thing as saying that the potential isn't there for novel proteins and other chemicals to generate unexpected problems," Bittman writes, "which [is] why we need strict, effective testing and regulatory systems." The debate on GM crops is polarized between supporters and those who think it will have long-term impacts on biodiversity, possibly health, and lead to a takeover of food production by corporations like Monsanto. This has also been the case in Africa, where some countries have banned GM maize as food aid. Per Pinstrup-Andersen, 2001 World Food Prize Laureate and the author of a book on the politics of GM food, described India's moratorium as "nonsensical", and said it "reduces India's efforts to assure sustainable food security for its population". He is among the mainstream scientists who prefer to be open-minded on GM technology and believe that while it might not be the panacea to climate-proof plants, it is a tool with some potential to ensure food security in the coming decades.

There is some criticism about Indian Governments 2012 policy of imposing a moratorium on GM food crop cultivation though one cannot find fault with this step considering the rich diversity this country has vis--a-vis food and agriculture. The argument that such a policy will stifle research is misplaced because there is no stopping of research and development of this tool and if the scientific community can come up with GM foods based on "confined" research with safety questions fully solved, Government may be able to justify lifting the ban for the benefit of the country. Any attempt in introducing GM crops must satisfy the need to protect indigenous species through multiple gene pool collection and maintenance. No self respecting country can pass on the responsibility of developing such new technology to private sector monopolists like Monsanto or Cargil which can have potential danger of exploiting the farmers through stifling restrictions and restrictive patenting. Of course a rich country like the US has opted for a policy of protection to the GM seed industry in a big way with least concern to the well being of its citizens, third world countries should not mimic this strange country and opt for farmer and consumer friendly policies only.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

A PRESIDENT'S NOSTALGIA!-THE "SLUG" STILL CRAWLS!

A former minister, in his new avatar as the latest  President of this country recently had a chance to say some thing about Indian agriculture which is interesting to hear. It is a pity that after practically wasting 65 years since independence, now comes the realization that the country's agricultural situation is not good and the farmers in this country are not well off! Being a part of the so called planners for almost 5 decades, now turning around to blame the very same planners for not achieving prosperity through more farmer oriented programs with significantly visible impact is some what far fetched which may sound hollow. Still the fact uttered by him is 100% correct and the country must introspect as to why farmers are committing suicide in droves in spite of trillions of rupees pumped into the economy in the name of farm subsidies. Every government with a tenure of five years does not take seriously long term needs of the country, being busy managing day to day chores that will not precipitate any immediate crisis! Here is the statement of the President in a conference in Ludhiana which tells its own story.  


President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday underscored the need for a rethink on the agriculture policy to ensure food security in the country and meet key challenges in the farm sector. Addressing an assembly of academia and experts at the international conference on 'Sustainable Agriculture for Food and Livelihood Security' organised by Punjab Agricultural University to mark its golden jubilee, the President sought to know why despite an overall improved growth scenario in the country, economic viability of agriculture sector continued to be a challenge. He asked policy planners to ponder as to why prosperity eluded a large part of the agriculture sector despite government programmes and schemes that were backed by efforts of the scientific and corporate community. "We must have in place a coherent and comprehensive policy that has synergy among its elements. Government initiatives are of little use without efficient system for their implementation. Equally important is the necessity for collaboration between the state and Central governments on monitoring and appraisal of various schemes. A coordinated and integrated approach should start at the grassroots," he said.

if politics were not injected into the rural sector, especially in a country considered grossly under developed viewed from literacy angle, it takes lot of dedication, hard work and commitment to develop rural agriculture. A prospective but dynamic policy frame work with clear cut long term goals and mode of action must be evolved that will keep in view country's food needs while farmer prosperity is not jeopardized. If the farmers are happy the country will be well off without any foreign prop. What prevents succeeding governments from formulating such a policy is still a mystery. Funds are available, land is plenty, farmers are hardworking, consumer demand is high, private entrepreneurship is commendable and modern technologies are continuously being developed but still the country is just limping along with mediocre performance in farm sector. If President's words are sincere he must energize his government in evolving a dynamic farmer driven agricultural policy that will bring further prosperity to this country.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

RAINING OF CASH!-INDIANS BEING DIRECTLY "PAID" BY THE GOVERNMENT

India is the only country where citizens, especially poor in terms of income, are showered with subsidies for every thing to the tune of trillions of rupees, whether they are justified or not. The leaky Public Distribution System (PDS), supposed to deliver the basic needs of food grains and sugar to all families below the poverty line bench marked by the government, entails almost one lakh crore every year though it is an open market secret that a significant portion of the grains earmarked by the government is siphoned of by unscrupulous and lumpen elements, many beneficiaries short circuited in the process. Time and again the ruling government had shown their incapability or apathy in curtailing such colossal misappropriation of public resources to such a staggering extent. Against such a back ground comes the declaration from no less a person than the Prime Minister of the country who declared that in stead of subsidized food grains each beneficiary would be paid cash directly under the electronic Direct Cash Transfer policy being implemented soon. Here is a take on this grandiose plan of the government.

"Singh summarised the challenges at the meeting. "This is a programme in which the implementation capacity of our government will be tested. We must ensure at all times that there is no duplication of effort and technology is used to the fullest for efficiency gains. The timelines we have set for ourselves are ambitious. Fifty one districts are to (have a) roll out from January next year and 18 states from April. And, the rest of the country later in 2013." All ministries and departments engaged in transferring benefits would be quickly moving to the electronic Direct Cash Transfer (DCT) system, based on the Aadhaar-payment platform. Schemes are identified for movement to this system. The road map for each scheme will follow a schedule under which 51 districts will be covered from January 1, 2013, a full 18 states from April 1, 2013, and the rest of the country from April 1, 2014, or earlier. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has set up a cell of technical experts to facilitate Aadhaar-enabled DCTs and help individual ministries. The department of financial services is helping in the movement to universal financial inclusion through individual bank accounts for all. The PM stressed the funds meant for direct benefits, such as pensions, scholarships and healthcare benefits, must reach the intended beneficiaries without delays. "Apart from these direct benefits, the government also provides an amount of over Rs 300,000 crore in subsidies, which, too, must reach the right people," he added. The PM also called for coordinated effort between the finance ministry and UIDAI. "The twin pillars for the success of the system of DCTs that we have envisioned are the Aadhaar platform and financial Inclusion. If either of these pillars is weak, it would endanger the success of the initiative. I would expect the finance ministry and the Unique Identification Authority to work in close coordination to achieve a collective goal," he said.

It is difficult to understand the boldness of a government, especially towards the end of its term to indulge in such massive distribution of cash to millions of people using the electronic Identity system of Aadhar. If one looks at the working of Aaadhar itself during the last two years, there are thousands of citizens who have been left out and even those cases already processed are waiting to receive their ID cards indefinitely. Assuming that every citizen is covered by Aadhar ID system, how can the banking infrastructure at present cope up with millions of new accounts needed to be opened by beneficiaries? What happens if bank facilities are not available nearby? What about delays that may be caused by an inefficient bureaucratic set up in processing the papers? What if the bank account holder misuses the funds credited to his account for drinking and gambling which is a major social curse in Indian society? With illiteracy prevalent widely what happens to those who cannot operate bank accounts? Is it not opening the flood gates of corruption in a country which is seeing huge financial scams taking place under the very nose of the citizens? Like these there are going to be hundreds of issues which need to be sorted out before rolling out such a difficult scheme all over the country. Impending elections should not the driving force for changing the existing PDS which, in spite of its many deficiencies, has stood the test of time. Probably this is a fit case for judicial intervention which only can stop this reckless policy of the present government in squandering tax payers money!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE 2009 L'AQUILA FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE -FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS

Africa, once known as the Dark Continent, is no more dark as imagined by many but consists of vibrant nations, many of them working democracies, trying hard to improve the lot of their population. This continent also is the recipient of bulk of the global aid, financial as well as in the form of food, major brunt being borne by the US. Unfortunately not much impact is seen at the ground level for all the money that has flowed into these nations. Civil wars, brutal dictators, frequent droughts, very poor infrastructure, lack of education facilities etc have taken their toll on the none too happy situation many of the countries in the region find themselves in. It was in 2009 that the G8 nations meeting at L'Aquila in Italy dedicated vast sums of money for channelizing into Africa for food and agriculture development at a faster pace. Whether it is due to financial crunch or sheer apathy much of the commitments made never translated into actual disbursement. Fortunately the current head of the US administration has taken a new initiative to rededicate the commitment by roping in many global private sector food companies to undertake the responsibility of rejuvenation of the African continent. Here is a report on this new development.

"President Obama and the leaders of four African countries will introduce the group of 45 companies, the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, on Friday at a symposium on food security and agriculture that will begin the summit meeting of the Group of 8 industrialized nations this weekend at Camp David in Maryland. "We are never going to end hunger in Africa without private investment," said Rajiv Shah, the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. "There are things that only companies can do, like building silos for storage and developing seeds and fertilizers." The alliance includes well-known multinational giants like Monsanto, Diageo and Swiss Re as well as little-known businesses like Mullege, an Ethiopian coffee exporter. The introduction of the group will coincide with the administration's report on the progress of what is known as the'Aquila Food Security Initiative, the largest international effort in decades to combat hunger by investing in the fundamentals of agriculture, including seeds, fertilizer, grain storage, roads and infrastructure. The initiative, first agreed upon by the Group of 8 leaders at their meeting in L'Aquila, Italy, in 2009, was a pledge to put $22 billion into food and agriculture projects. Although much of the money had previously been earmarked for agriculture projects, about $6 billion was new. Almost all of the $22 billion has now been "budgeted and appropriated," and 58 percent of it has been disbursed, Mr. Shah said. "I am confident that continuing into this year and the next, the U.S. and other countries will absolutely meet their commitments," he said. He conceded, however, that not all of the money  is being spent as promised, which has drawn complaints from many nongovernmental organizations and African countries."The grand promise of L'Aquila was, if you build a plan for agriculture, the donors will help them find the resources for it," said Gregory Adams, director of aid effectiveness at Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization. "Now there are 30 plans of varying degrees of quality with shovel-ready projects donors could invest in today, but instead donors have put their money in other things."

With the American president taking a leading role, there appears to be better chance for the new initiative to achieve tangible results. The realization that GM crops do not lend them selves to easy adaptation to African condition and free distribution of food cannot be an answer to solve African problem is itself a positive development. Strengthening the agricultural infrastructure, ensuring supply of quality seeds and other inputs and helping the farmers to acquire modern skills are priority areas that will receive focus under the new initiative. A sobering thought is how far private players can be trusted to deliver the "goods", as many of them are under the scanner in countries like the US regarding their role in "ruining" the health of the consumers through "bad" food with adverse health consequences. In the forthcoming G8 meeting in Chicago, US can be expected to "stir the pot" and one can only wait to see what "aroma" is generated by these deliberations. In the mean time Africa will eagerly look forward to positive action oriented and time defined help from some of the richest nations in this planet.


V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD SECURITY-ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

Providing food for the poor who have no access to affordable food materials both for calorie as well as nutrient requirement is indeed a laudable mission and Government of India (GOI) must receive full kudos for conceiving the giant Public Distribution System (PDS) with good intentions. Unfortunately all good intentions do not get translated into reality and to day's condition of the PDS is best described as pathetic for which the same government is responsible. In stead of learning lessons from a program which has gone haywire, GOI seems to be trapped in the quagmire committing more mistakes, intentionally or otherwise, pushing the country deeper into economic bankruptcy  Many suggestions have been made from time to time by well meaning experts regarding the direction in which PDS must be "rerouted". However GOI seems to be obsessed with garnering votes through a scheme for supplying the food grains practically free which can only expand the "pilferage" of grains by the politician-mafia nexus that operates to day with total impunity! An alternate proposal put forward by some experts calls for a transparent distribution system through issuing coupons or so called food stamps with which beneficiaries can get their entitlement from any retailer nearby. Here is a take on this new option suggested by them.

"If the government has transferred responsibility to the private sector in education, a fortiori, it also ought to put its faith in the private food trade when it comes to food subsidy. Curiously, the Food Security Bill before Parliament is all about government bureaucracy and government departments, with implications of administrative expenses overshooting the operational expenses. To be sure, food coupons are not the panacea to the vexed problem of targeted subsidy, but it is infinitely better than a PDS system that leaks like a sieve. Warts and all, the coupon system at least ensures a minimal role for bureaucracy and completely does away with state procurement, besides doing away with the problem of food rotting in the open, exposed to the elements. If students can be redirected, as it were, to private schools, the poor should be called upon to go to a kirana store in the vicinity, armed with food coupons given by the government. In fact, the initiative on the education front needs to be emulated across sectors — food, health and defence personnel; kirana store has been used more in a metaphorical sense herein. The crippling burden on government hospitals can be managed to a great extent through health coupons a la an insurance policy that is the open sesame for entry into cleaner and more effective, albeit infinitely more expensive, private hospitals".

The massive annual subsidy estimated at 70-80 thousand crore rupees coming out of the national exchequer is nothing but a wastage of resources by this economically turbulent country and to think that most of it is going to line the pockets of politicians, bureaucrats and brokers is really disturbing to the conscience of every honest citizen. No one knows who really deserves food grains at low cost when the family income has increased very significantly, especially after the implementation of various schemes of the GOI to guarantee employment in rural areas. Almost all urban families are well off compared to their counterparts in rural areas with relatively moderate income and why they should receive subsidies is baffling. With real and reliable economic statistics not available, it is time that a more precise and dependable method is evolved to identify families who are really poor and restrict the subsidies only to them through efficient and strict management system. Probably only a fraction of the number that receives subsidy may be eligible if the truth is brought out. Food coupons must be tried out at least on a limited scale to test its effectiveness in checking massive pilferage taking place at present.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com