Introduction
Food insecurity is an issue that raises serious concerns to a country. Hence, it should be a government’s priority. According to Bhatt (2004) “food is an incentive, particularly appropriate in areas of high food insecurity” (p. 58). Provision of sufficient farm inputs such as fertilizer, high breed seeds, farm machines and agricultural loans is likely to increase production. High breed seeds have a high production capacity and they mature over a short time. Farm mechanization is critical in increasing food production. It helps farmers to cultivate large tracts of land with ease as opposed to when they rely on human labor. It is unfortunate that sometimes, during the harvest seasons, farmers lose their produce due to poor storage facilities. The government may introduce Cereals and Produce Boards in the main agricultural areas such as Burma and Punjab to improve food storage facilities. Hence, it ought to educate farmers on better food preservation methods.
The farmers may practice crop diversification and adoption of drought-resistant crops. Such crops are useful in regions which receive insufficient rainfall on an annual basis. They chip in to address food insecurity in regions where other food crops cannot survive due to high temperatures.
Social Determinants of Health
Social determinants of health refer to conditions which affect people’s health statuses. The World Health Organization (2013) defines social determinants of health as the “conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age” (n. p). Some of them include:
- Poverty: poor people are likely to exhibit poor health statuses. Many of them cannot afford preventive and curative healthcare. Moreover, they depend on public health facilities which may be ineffective due to a large number of patients who flock in the facilities. Many people in poverty stricken areas live below the poverty line (Marmot & Wilkinson, 2006). Their sanitation facilities are poor, thus, increasing their chances of contracting waterborne diseases.
- Education: Educated people are quite innovative when it comes to finding solutions to their problems. Similarly, they are knowledgeable on some disease prevention measures. They respond appropriately to a health threat such as an outbreak. Illiteracy is directly related to poor health (WHO, 2014).
- Occupation: One’s occupation determines their health. People of low social class are likely to work in high-risk areas and vice versa. High-risk areas include quarries and sewerage systems. Such occupations are not only tedious but also risky to their health.
Critique
Food insecurity has been prevalent in India for a long time. Although the country has experienced some agricultural development over the recent decades, it is unfortunate that it has failed to address the recurrent food shortage. The case can be attributed to the high population density and inefficient methods of production. It is sad that a nation such as India grapples with food shortage in the twenty-first century despite the agricultural potential of regions such Karnataka, Punjab, Burma and Bihar.
The government may address some of the social determinants of health such as poverty. Poverty, disease and illiteracy are three inseparable factors. An illiterate person is intellectually and economically deprived, because their production capacity is low. A person’s occupation depends on their educational achievement. Therefore, an illiterate person is likely to serve as a manual laborer. The government may partner with international agricultural organizations to educate its citizens on better farming methods and inputs to address the issue of food insecurity. It may also collude with the Indian Ministry of Agriculture to fund irrigation schemes in dry, but economically viable regions. Irrigation enables such areas to produce food to feed them and their neighbors. In addition, the government may provide incentives to farmers as some of them do not get the anticipated produce due to use of ineffective production methods.
References
Bhatt, M. S. (2004). Poverty and Food Security in India: Problems and Policies. Delhi: Aakar Books.
Marmot, M., & Wilkinson, R. G. (2006). Social Determinants of Health. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
WHO. (2014). Health Impact Assessment: The Determinants of Health. Web.
WHO. (2013). Social Determinants of Health: Progress on the Implementation of the Rio Political Declaration. Web.