Introduction
- India has the world’s second largest population.
- Population explosion presents he problem of food insecurity to India.
- Food is considered one of the important element in Indian’s culture.
- Being a diverse culture, different Indian communities have different meals.
- Some food choices are influenced by religious practices
- Indians rely more on agricultural products than processed foods
Cultural Practices Pertaining to Cuisine
- India has a diverse culture.
- Food choices differ from one community to another.
- Dishes are influenced by religious and cultural functions.
- Food is used to honor the dead.
- Most of the dishes are home-cooked
- Spices are highly valued.
- Social eating is a common practice among Indians.
- Dishes tend to be influenced by the class of the family.
- Rice is often perceived to a dish for the wealthy.
- Rice is a symbol for fertility.
- Rice is majorly served during marriage ceremonies.
- Millet and sorghum are perceived substitutes for rice.
Economic situation of India
- India is a developing country.
- It has middle income.
- The main source of revenue is agriculture.
- At least two-thirds of the population lives in poverty.
- High population growth rate is the major cause of the rising poverty levels.
- The growing population exceeds the production rate.
- Agriculture being the backbone of the economy accounts for 23% of the GDP.
- 70% of the rural population depend on agriculture primarily.
- India is the second leading producer and consumer of the world’s food after China.
- India is the largest producer of milk with more than 305 million cattle’s making it the largest cattle population.
- The country is the second largest producer of rice and wheat after China.
India’s Infrastructure
- India’s infrastructure is relatively improving.
- The country’s economic growth puts pressure on its infrastructure.
- There are infrastructural gaps that undermine economic growth in India.
- Major infrastructural problems include:
- Lack of enough electricity.
- Lack of enough quality roads.
- Imbalance infrastructural development in the country reduces its productivity.
Demographics of India
- India has the second largest population n the world.
- The country is estimated to have about 1.3 billion people.
- About 50% of the population comprises of people below 25 years
- More than 60% of the population consists of people below 35.
- The country’s population growth rate is at 0.98%.
- The gender ratio in India is 108 males per 100 females.
- The country’s fertility rate as of 2020 was 2.2 births per woman.
Global Implications from Food Supply in India
- India is the second largest producer of global food.
- Its rapidly growing population reduces India’s global food supply
- Most of the food is being produced for local consumption.
- The population explosion threatens global food security.
- There is reduced international trade on agricultural products in India.
References
India Population 2022 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs). Worldpopulationreview.com. (2022).
Saini, S., & Giri, J. N. (2022). Infrastructure Development in India: The Way Ahead. Journal of Infrastructure Development, 09749306221096958.
Schmall, E., & Yasir, S. (2022). India’s Economy Is Growing Quickly. Why Can’t It Produce Enough Jobs?. Nytimes.com.
NDTV. (2018). Is The Indian Diet Healthy? Power Of Traditional Indian Food And Its Many Health Benefits. NDTV.com.