production can only be sustained on a long-term basis if the resource base like land,
water and forest on which it is based are not degraded (Mishra 2005).
1.3 Livelihood and Sustainable Agriculture—Indian
Scenario
The diet of modern humans varied significantly depending on location and climate.
The percentage of men with BMI <18.5 is marginally lower than women and stood at
34.2 % during 2005–06. According to World Health Organization (WHO), if 40 %
or more of the population have a BMI <18.5 (which is quite close to Indian situation), it is regarded as a state of famine. If India is not in a state of famine, it is quite
clearly in a state of chronic hunger, since only such hunger can lead to a situation
where a third of the country’s adults have a BMI under 18.5. In India, the estimates
of poverty are based on consumption expenditure. There has been an increase in
inequality in consumption expenditure in both rural and urban India, the disparity
between states has declined. Based on the Tendulkar committee methodology after
adjusting for inflation, the incidence of poverty for the year 2009–2010 was estimated to be 32 %. The share of food in total expenditure continued to fall throughout
the three decades prior to 2004–2005 in both rural and urban India. The overall fall
was from 73 to 55 % in rural areas and from 64.5 to 42.5 % in urban areas. In urban
India not only has the share of cereals and pulses fallen, but there has been a steady
fall in the share of other food groups as well; such as milk and milk products, edible
oil, eggs, beverages and sugar. In rural India, however, the share of milk and milk
products, eggs, fish, meat, fruits and nuts has increased one percentage point each,
the share of vegetables has increased by 2.5 % points, and that of beverages,
refreshments and processed foods has increased by two percentage points since
1972–1973. Apart from cereals, only the share of sugar and pulses (the latter largely
during the last decade) has declined noticeably. However, the increase in share of
non-cereals is not enough to compensate for the 22.6 % decline in cereal consumption (IHD Report 2011). Calorie consumption of the poorest quartile is significantly lower than the top quartile of the population. Further, calorie consumption
of the bottom 50 % of the population has been consistently decreasing since 1987.
On the other hand, cereal consumption is declining with no compensatory rise in
non-cereal consumption and on the other, the calorie intake is much below the
required level and has also been showing a declining trend for more than 20 years for
the vast majority, thus reinforcing the magnitude and intensity of hunger in India
(India Human Development Report 2011).
The share of agriculture in the total national income declined sharply from 50 % in
1950s to around 20 or 22 % in more recent years, i.e. 2007. It is a sign of development
like developed nation like U.K., USA, etc. (i.e. around 5 %). But in India, agriculture
continues to hold the key to higher GDP growth, employment expansion, reduction
in poverty and the equitable distribution of income. Nearly 60 % of the population
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D. Chand and R. Gartia
water and forest on which it is based are not degraded (Mishra 2005).
1.3 Livelihood and Sustainable Agriculture—Indian
Scenario
The diet of modern humans varied significantly depending on location and climate.
The percentage of men with BMI <18.5 is marginally lower than women and stood at
34.2 % during 2005–06. According to World Health Organization (WHO), if 40 %
or more of the population have a BMI <18.5 (which is quite close to Indian situation), it is regarded as a state of famine. If India is not in a state of famine, it is quite
clearly in a state of chronic hunger, since only such hunger can lead to a situation
where a third of the country’s adults have a BMI under 18.5. In India, the estimates
of poverty are based on consumption expenditure. There has been an increase in
inequality in consumption expenditure in both rural and urban India, the disparity
between states has declined. Based on the Tendulkar committee methodology after
adjusting for inflation, the incidence of poverty for the year 2009–2010 was estimated to be 32 %. The share of food in total expenditure continued to fall throughout
the three decades prior to 2004–2005 in both rural and urban India. The overall fall
was from 73 to 55 % in rural areas and from 64.5 to 42.5 % in urban areas. In urban
India not only has the share of cereals and pulses fallen, but there has been a steady
fall in the share of other food groups as well; such as milk and milk products, edible
oil, eggs, beverages and sugar. In rural India, however, the share of milk and milk
products, eggs, fish, meat, fruits and nuts has increased one percentage point each,
the share of vegetables has increased by 2.5 % points, and that of beverages,
refreshments and processed foods has increased by two percentage points since
1972–1973. Apart from cereals, only the share of sugar and pulses (the latter largely
during the last decade) has declined noticeably. However, the increase in share of
non-cereals is not enough to compensate for the 22.6 % decline in cereal consumption (IHD Report 2011). Calorie consumption of the poorest quartile is significantly lower than the top quartile of the population. Further, calorie consumption
of the bottom 50 % of the population has been consistently decreasing since 1987.
On the other hand, cereal consumption is declining with no compensatory rise in
non-cereal consumption and on the other, the calorie intake is much below the
required level and has also been showing a declining trend for more than 20 years for
the vast majority, thus reinforcing the magnitude and intensity of hunger in India
(India Human Development Report 2011).
The share of agriculture in the total national income declined sharply from 50 % in
1950s to around 20 or 22 % in more recent years, i.e. 2007. It is a sign of development
like developed nation like U.K., USA, etc. (i.e. around 5 %). But in India, agriculture
continues to hold the key to higher GDP growth, employment expansion, reduction
in poverty and the equitable distribution of income. Nearly 60 % of the population
266
D. Chand and R. Gartia