A Decade of the Food Security Law in India: Reflections and Way forward

In order to commemorate the completion of 10 years of National Food Security Act 2013 in India,  CCL organised a national consultation on A Decade of Food Security in India: Reflections and Way Forward  on on 20^th and 21^st September. A wide array of themes such as constitutional provisions, rights-based approach, nutritional challenges, food safety, political economy and environmental factors impacting food and nutrition security, were discussed during the consultation.

Introducing the objectives of the Consultation, Dr Neetu Sharma, Co-Director – CCL and Programme Head – Right to Food, recalled the decade-long journey of NFSA – its history, challenges and gaps. She urged participants to reflect on emerging challenges such as climate change in addition to the issues with the implementation of existing law. In his inaugural address, Dr.T.N. Prakash Kammardi, Retd. Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, contrasted India’s abundant food grain production to its alarming levels of hunger and malnutrition while emphasizing the need to re-examine the links between food production and livelihoods to address disparities. Through his keynote address, Dr. EM Sudarsana Natchiappan, Former Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, and Senior Advocate – Supreme Court of India, stressed on food and nutrition security for those at the bottom of the food pyramid, by citing the relevant constitutional provisions.

The Consultation witnessed active participation of several subject matter specialists, domain experts, academicians, activists, children’s and human rights advocates, and provided opportunity to reflect on the issue of food insecurities and the potential role of law.

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