Question

How is food security affected during a calamity?

Answer 1

Hint: The total production of food grains is affected during a calamity, so the prices go up during such events making it impossible for the people of the country to live a normal livelihood.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
Food security is a crucial public health concern during a calamity as the total production of food grain is highly affected. It can be traced back to the experience of the 1943 Bengal Famine during the British colonial rule. The total food production of food grain reduces thus resulting in a shortage of food in the affected area. Hence, the prices go up during such shortages making it impossible to live a normal livelihood. Such a situation may cause starvation and massive starvation might result in famine.

Agricultural sectors are most affected in developing countries by natural hazards or calamities. Calamities jeopardize agricultural development as well as production and have negative effects across national economies. Out of all other hazards, droughts, floods and tropical storms affect the agricultural sectors the most while tsunamis and storms mostly affect fisheries subsectors. Unreliable rainfall and higher temperatures make farming difficult for farmers. It not only affects the crops but also fisheries, livestock, forestry and aquaculture.

Subsistence farming of the tribal communities has led to economic backwardness, a major challenge for food security. In times of calamities, faulty food distribution systems also result in severe food security problems. Contamination is also a major factor in food security. During such calamities, the risk of contamination increases due to drought and flood, destroying a large number of food grains, which further leads to issues like diarrhoea, malaria etc.

Note: To answer this question one needs to understand the various factors and challenges of food security at the national and global level; and also, how it affects a nation’s economic sector. The agricultural sector of India contributes 14 percent to the country’s GDP. However, the GDP from agriculture in the first quarter of 2020 was 5306.26 INR Billion has decreased to 4546.58 INR Billion in the second quarter of 2020.