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Publication | 2024

Rethinking Social Protection in South Asia: Toward Progressive Universalism

Highlights on food and nutrition security:

Overview

Food and nutrition security in South Asia is addressed through a variety of programs focusing on social assistance, food distribution, and nutrition improvement, particularly targeting vulnerable populations such as children, women, and the rural poor.

Major Programs and Initiatives

Public Distribution Systems (PDS):

  • India's National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013: This act aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population, covering around 67% of the total population post-pandemic. Beneficiaries are categorized into two groups: Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) for the extreme poor and priority households for the poor. The program provides 35 kg of food grains per family per month for AAY households and 5 kg per person per month for priority households at highly subsidized rates.

School Feeding Programs:

  • School feeding programs form a significant part of social assistance in South Asia, with countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal allocating 24.4%, 16.9%, and 10% of their social assistance budgets, respectively, to these initiatives. These programs are essential in providing nutrition to children, improving educational outcomes, and supporting low-income families.

Emergency Food Security Initiatives:

  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, countries in South Asia leveraged existing food distribution systems to deliver emergency support. For instance, India's Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana provided free food grains to all NFSA beneficiaries, distributing over 100 million metric tons of food grains in seven phases from April 2020 to December 2022.

Focus on Maternal and Child Nutrition

  • Improving maternal and child nutrition is a critical focus area. Programs often include components such as:
    • Cash for Work: Providing employment opportunities in rural areas to improve household food security.
    • In-kind Assistance: Distributing food and nutrition supplements directly to households.
    • Nutrition Training: Educating communities on best practices for cultivation and nutrition to ensure sustainable food security.

Challenges and Future Directions

  • One of the main challenges in food and nutrition security in South Asia is the inclusion of high-income individuals in social assistance programs, which undermines program efficiency and effectiveness. Ensuring that assistance reaches the intended low-income and vulnerable populations is crucial.

Conclusion

The food and nutrition security landscape in South Asia is characterized by extensive government programs aimed at subsidizing food costs, improving nutrition among children and vulnerable populations, and providing emergency food aid during crises. The ongoing challenge is to enhance the targeting and efficiency of these programs to maximize their impact on those most in need.

Disclaimer: This summary has been generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) language model developed by OpenAI. For comprehensive information and context, please refer to the full document.