Page 2 - Food Security

Food aid uncertainty deepens as US govt shutdown fight hits crisis point

The crises at the heart of the government shutdown fight in Washington came to a head as the federal food assistance programme faced delays and millions of Americans were set to see a dramatic rise in their health insurance bills. The impacts on basic needs food and medical care underscored how the impasse is hitting homes across the United States. Plans by the Trump administration to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme on Saturday were halted by federal judges, but the delay in payouts will still likely leave millions of people short on their grocery bills. It all added to the strain on the country, with a month of missed paychecks for federal workers and growing air travel delays. The shutdown is already the second longest in history and entered its second month on Saturday. This is more than a crisis, said the Rev John Udo-Okon, who runs the Word of Life Christian Fellowship International food pantry in the Bronx, where hundreds more people than .

Food security inequities worsen due to conflicts, climate change: Lancet

About half of the world's population may not be able to access healthy food, clean environment or earn a living wage, indicating inequities in human health that have been made worse by geopolitical conflicts and climate change, according to a new Lancet report. Further, the world's food system -- contributing to 30 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions -- is the main driver of challenges the planet faces by impacting climate, biodiversity, land use change, among others, it said. The crisis of inequity in access to conditions required for good human health and environmental harm due to global food systems threatens human health and the resilience of planet Earth, authors said in the '2025 EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy, Sustainable, and Just Food Systems'. Launched in January 2019, the 'EAT-Lancet Commission' outlines recommendations for a 'planetary health diet' -- favouring fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes and small portions of meat and dairy -- and targets for achieving a ...

Centre sets rice procurement target at 46.34 mt for 2025-26 season

The Centre has set a rice procurement target of 46.34 million tonnes for 2025-26, slightly below last year, and fixed a millet target of 1.91 million tonnes to aid crop diversification

Centre slashes FCI share of broken rice to boost ethanol production

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said last Friday that no engine failures had been reported since the E20 blend's rollout and that the performance impact was minimal, at around 1-3 per cent

WFP raises alarm as 10 million Afghans face hunger due to aid cuts

The Ministry of Economy claims to have initiated programs aimed at reducing poverty and unemployment, which it says could alleviate some of the nation's pressing challenges

Slashing food tariffs: NITI's push for US mkt access may hurt food security

In the 1960s and early 1970s, India faced food shortages and depended on US food imports under PL-480 - a US law that allowed surplus food to be sold or donated to countries like India

Will take up fertiliser export curbs by China as required, says MEA

India before the curbs used to import around 1-2 million tonnes of urea from China out of the total imports of around 6-7 million tonnes

From compliance to confidence: Toward transparent and trusted food systems

The theme for World Food Safety Day 2025 is "Food safety: science in action". It highlights the crucial role of scientific knowledge in ensuring food safety

USDA funding cuts may worsen hunger crisis as reliance on food banks grows

The Campaign Against Hunger was already struggling to feed thousands of families a week when the Trump administration pulled more than $1.3 million in grants. Demand has only increased at the New York nonprofit since the city emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic insecurity. In a first for the pantry, however, it isn't just the jobless lining up for its fresh produce and meats. It's working people, too. Food banks typically see the most need during periods of high unemployment and yet the US is facing down a hunger crisis during a relatively resilient labour market. The latest US Department of Agriculture research showed there were one million more food insecure households in 2023 than 2022. Now, income stagnation and rising living costs are sending wage earners to food banks across the country all as the federal government shuts off funding streams that provide millions with healthier, harder-to-get groceries. The squeeze comes as Republicans discuss budget .

India, Brazil can boost global food security: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said that joint efforts of India and Brazil could play an important role in strengthening global food security. During a meeting with 27 members of Brazil's agribusiness community in Sao Paulo, Chouhan praised the widespread use of machinery in Brazilian agriculture, particularly in cotton and soybean harvesting, and expressed hope for cooperation in these areas, according to an official statement. The minister discussed possibilities for promoting agricultural trade between the two countries, exchanging improved production techniques, adopting advanced food processing methods and cooperating on biofuel production, technological innovation and supply chain integration. The President of the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce noted that while India-Brazil agricultural trade currently amounts to USD 2-3 billion, it has the potential to reach USD15-20 billion. Brazil mainly exports fertilisers, soybeans, food crops, sugar, meat and ...

How China minimised US farm imports and sharpened its trade war tactics

China has reduced its dependence on US farm imports, strengthening its trade war strategy through supply diversification, local production boosts, and food security policies

India's hunger paradox: Few miss meals, but food insecurity persists

Survey reveals low hunger intensity, yet millions face undernourishment and poor food quality

UN chief Guterres 'alarmed' about worsening food security in Sudan

Guterres renewed his call for the parties to facilitate rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained access so that humanitarian assistance

Sudan halts participation in hunger-monitor system on eve of famine report

In a letter dated Dec. 23, the government's agriculture minister said the government is halting its participation in the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system

Food inflation continues to play spoilsport for FMCG sector: Kantar report

The per household average spend in the urban market recorded a 13% jump in a year to reach Rs 6,761 this Oct quarter

India, Australia outline path for early conclusion of comprehensive FTA

New Delhi and Canberra discussed several critical areas of the proposed agreement, including trade in goods, services, mobility, agri-tech cooperation, among others

Govt has no plan to hike margins for ration shop dealers: Pralhad Joshi

Food Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday said the Centre has no immediate proposal to increase the margins for fair price shops (FPS) dealers under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). Responding to a written query to the Lok Sabha, Joshi said that while the government has set specific margin rates, state governments retain the flexibility to determine actual rates that can exceed the centrally prescribed norms. As per the revised April 2022 norms under the Food Security (Assistance to State Governments) Rules, 2015, Rs 90 per quintal is the dealer margin, with an additional margin of Rs 21 per quintal for general category states. For the special category, the dealers' margin is kept at Rs 180 per quintal, with an additional margin of Rs 26 per quintal. "At present, no proposal for further enhancement of margin is under consideration by the government," Joshi said. The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPTDS) under the National Food Security Act is operated under the

Centre approves fortified rice supply continuation till December 2028

Meant to nutritional security challenges, rice fortification involves the adding of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), containing micronutrients such as iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12, into regular rice

FCI to install modern video surveillance system at 561 storage depots

State-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) plans to install about 23,750 cameras across its 561 depots as it is upgrading to a modern IP-based video surveillance system in the storage depots. The implementation of this new IP-based system will significantly enhance monitoring capabilities through high-resolution imaging, improved scalability, and remote access, the Food Ministry said in a statement. CCTV Cameras installed in the new surveillance system will support onboard analytics features like camera tempering, camera field of view change, camera blur/out of focus, motion detection and trip wire etc. This new surveillance system will feature the establishment of a centralised Command Control Centre (CCC) and a Network Operating Centre (NoC) at FCI headquarters. The health of the installed system will be centrally monitored through the CCC, along with a provision for storing incidental data on-demand basis. It will also offer advanced video analytics and strengthened security ...

India leads with world's largest food-based safety net programs: MoS Agri

India is committed to developing resilient agricultural systems and ensuring food security on the global stage, Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Ram Nath Thakur said. He made the remarks while representing India at G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting in Cuiab, Brazil on September 12-14, 2024. India also emphasized enhanced international trade's contribution to food security at the meeting. "Our approach not only focuses on productivity but also ensures economic, social, and environmental sustainability, enhancing farmer prosperity and embodying a comprehensive vision for development," an official statement quoted him as saying. The minister also pointed to India's implementation of "the world's largest food-based safety net programmes" to ensure food security and nutrition. He stressed the need for Special and Differential Treatment for developing and least-developed countries, particularly to empower small and marginal fishers, the statement said. "This is ..