An Overview on Global Hunger Index 2019

The Global Hunger Index definition states that the global hunger index or GHI is a measurement or tracking tool used to track or measure global hunger by region and country. The GHI components are taken from the United Nations and other multilateral agencies. The NGOs of the European region are Concern Worldwide, an Irish NGO and Welt Hunger Hilfe, which is from Germany preparing the GHI. As per the global hunger index definition, it is calculated annually. The result of GHI gets issued every year in October. The GHI report of 2019 stated that India got 102 rank among 117 countries.  The GHI report of 2021 indicated a critical situation of hunger that has arisen from climate crises, an increase in conflicts, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Global Hunger Index 2019

The Global Hunger Index report of 2019 stated that the rank of India among all 117 countries was 102. There are four indicators of GHI based on which the report is made. This includes child stunting, undernourishment, child mortality, and child wasting. These components are taken from the United Nations and other multilateral agencies. As per the GHI of 2019, the child wasting rate in India was very high, and it was around 20.8%. This special rate is considered to be the highest in all the countries. The share of children under the age of five who are wasted is referred to as child wasting. This can also mean that their weight is very low compared to their height and can also reflect acute undernutrition. This special rate of child wasting has increased in India as it was 16.5% earlier, around 2008 to 2012, but now it is 20.8% in the interval 2014 to 2018.

In addition to it, child wasting, as per the United Nations children’s fund, is considered a strong protector of child mortality among those under five years. Other factors have shown an improvement in India, for example, the children’s mortality rate, the prevalence of undernourishment, and the prevalence of stunting in children. It was also pointed out in the report that approximately 90% of households in India had an enhanced source of drinking water from the year 2015 to 2016. On the other hand, approximately 39% of Indian households did not have any kind of sanitation facilities. This factor is also impacting the health of the population in India. In addition to it, it also creates a severe impact on the growth of children and even their ability to get nourishment.

India State Hunger Index

The tool used to measure the hunger level of the Indian region is termed India State Hunger Index or, in short, ISHI. It was calculated in 2008, and there were 17 states in India covered under it. The 17 states are responsible for covering above 90% of the entire population of India. As per the latest GHI, it has been shown that India has improved its hunger index from 2002 to 2020. But still, the level of hunger in India has remained in the serious category of GHI. 

As per the latest GHI, India got the rank of 10 among 116 countries, but it is still lower than India’s rank in the year 2020, which was 94. Looking at this particular trend, it can be expected that India will have the ability to achieve zero hunger by the year 2030.

Conclusion

The global hunger index is very important to understand the nutritional situation of the world. It also helps understand which particular country has a healthy population and which has a malnourished population. Knowing the global hunger index of all the countries can also help the government to understand their position and start taking new actions. The global hunger index report of 2019 stated that India ranked the number 102 among all the countries taken under the measurement as per the global hunger index definition. In addition to it, according to the global hunger index definition, the NGOs or agencies responsible for measuring the index included NGOs from Europe.