Global Hunger Index 2021, which is prepared jointly by Irish aid agency called ‘Concern Worldwide’ and German organisation called ‘Welt Hunger Hilfe’, was released on October 14, 2021. The Index termed the hunger level in India as alarming.

Where India has been placed?

• In the index, India has been placed to 101st position out of 116 countries.
• In 2020, India’s was positioned at 94th.
• In 2021 edition, India has been placed behind its neighbour countries Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
• GHI score of India has also decreased. It was 38.8 in 2000 but now has been decreased to the range of 28.8 – 27.5 between 2012 and 2021.
• Share of wasting among children increased from 17.1 per cent during 1998-2002 to 17.3 per cent during 2016-2020.

In the index, eighteen countries such as China, Brazil and Kuwait, shared the top rank. They got the GHI score of less than five.

GHI score is calculated on the basis of four indicators namely,

1. Undernourishment
2. Child wasting (share of children aged under five who are wasted i.e., those having low weight for their height.
3. Child stunting (children aged under five who are having low height for their age.
4. Child mortality (mortality rate of children aged under five).

India has improved with respect to indicators like under-5 mortality rate, prevalence of undernourishment and prevalence of stunting among children.