International Food Policy Research Institute Report

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report was presented in December 2010 at the 93rd annual conference of Indian Economic Association in Chandigarh.  The report stated that Punjab, the food bowl of India figured pathetically low on hunger index which is a statistical tool to measure the state of different countries’ hunger situation. Punjab lies below 33 other developing countries ranked by Global Hunger Index. Prof Shenggen Fan, director general of IFPRI pointed out that Economic growth is not necessarily associated with poverty reduction and Punjab for instance count not translate its economic growth into nutrition.

An urgent requirement of linking the traders directly with the farmers was felt so that the quality and freshness of the food is enhanced and the link can be established through formation of association of farmers.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN defines hunger specifically as consumption of fewer than about 1800 kilocalories a day, the minimum that most people require to live a healthy and productive life.