The conflict in Ukraine and its impact on the global food system highlights very clearly the interdependence and interdependence between food-producing and food-importing regions. The painful negative impact of supply disruptions around the world is disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia. These are the countries that are most dependent on imports of important foods such as wheat, barley, corn and sunflower oil, most of which come from Ukraine and Russia. In addition, interruptions in fertilizer and energy supplies have negatively affected agricultural productivity while compromising the transportation, processing, and retail sale of fresh fruits, meats, and vegetables that are so important to a healthy and nutritious diet.
As with all global crises, the poorest are the hardest hit. As the costs of food ingredients and products rise, and as inflation depletes the resources available to poor families with meager budgets and competing priorities, consumption of safe and nutritious food is expected to decline. We will see that diets are directed towards a greater consumption of essential nutrients, more accessible in times of stress. Rural families who depend on their agricultural products for a part of their consumption will also be negatively affected due to higher fertilizer prices, leading to lower crop yields. Governments around the world are expected to sharpen their focus on ensuring basic food security, with less emphasis on general food security.
The increase in world prices for wheat and sunflower oil, due to the war in Ukraine, has negatively affected the population of India. We are the world’s largest importer of edible oils, buying around 60 per cent of our total needs for refined sunflower oil, for example, and almost 10 per cent of all types of edible oils. Up to 90 percent of India’s annual crude sunflower oil needs come from Ukraine and Russia alone. Russia, in turn, is an important destination for Indian tea. It is now certain that these exports will be reduced given the impact of the conflict on world trade in general, and especially on trade with Russia due to the global sanctions imposed.
India has achieved self-sufficiency in grain production in recent decades, with vibrant markets reaching last-mile consumers, supported by social protection schemes for the entire population. They include the Public Distribution System, which provides subsidized staple foods such as wheat and rice to more than 800 million beneficiaries, and the more targeted Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Provides nutritional support to children from 0 to 6 years old, pregnant women and nursing mothers, in addition to school snack programs, and provides prepared meals for schoolchildren in public schools and public schools.
India has the will and the ability to mitigate the worst effects of the global food crisis, through timely support and infrastructure. In addition, import duties and tariffs could be selectively relaxed on basic food products to mitigate the temporary negative effects of global supply disruptions, especially edible oils.
However, this global crisis highlights the fragility, fragmentation and vulnerability of the global food system. India must adapt and plan for the long term to deal with such future shocks.
How Can These Changes be Incorporated?
Greater Market Integration: Indian food markets will benefit from better market integration at all levels through the use of technology platforms that enable transparent technology linkages between producers, markets and consumers to ensure better value for all.
Regional Food Trade: South Asia is perhaps the least commercially integrated region in the world. This crisis should prompt all South Asian governments to explore ways to liberalize trade in food ingredients and basic food products to benefit the population in general, and in particular to ensure that they are not exposed to price increases. prices due to market restrictions.
Moving Forward with Large-Scale Food Fortification: Starting in 2016, India began to address micronutrient malnutrition among the population by expanding fortification of staple foods by adopting fortification standards for wheat flour, rice, edible oil, milk and double fortified salt. Although the fortification of staple foods remains voluntary for food producers, there is a strong attraction in Indian states for fortified staple foods to be made available through markets and social protection schemes. This complementary approach to alleviate the serious consequences of micronutrient malnutrition is supported at the highest levels of policy makers in India. We must continue the path despite the current crisis.
Investment in Cold Chain Infrastructure: India needs an urgent and regular reassessment of investments in cold chain infrastructure, to ensure proper temperature controlled storage and transportation of perishable foods to remote markets. It will help maximize the availability of a varied diet, as well as minimize the loss of nutritious, fresh but perishable foods.
Encourage Local and Seasonal Consumption: We need to create a national awareness across generations, with a special focus on youth, to adopt healthy food choices. This includes national, state and local governments that encourage the production and consumption of local and seasonal nutritious foods, as well as partnerships between civil society and the private sector to stimulate production and consumption that benefit human health and the planet.