Global Hunger Index: India ranks 107th; below Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh
India's standing in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022 has deteriorated in a year, placing it behind neighbors Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. According to the publishers of GHI, the country has dropped to 107th place out of 121 countries from 101st place in 2021. Notably, seventeen countries including China, Turkey, and Kuwait, shared first place with a GHI score of less than five.
Why does this story matter?
Over the years, the Government of India has rejected GHI studies due to their approach. After India dropped below 100th place in 2021, the government attacked the study, calling it "shocking" and "devoid of ground realities." It argued that the technique utilized to construct the Global Hunger Index is unscientific. The report's publishers, however, dismissed India's accusations.
India's situation of starvation 'serious'
The report, which highlights hunger and malnutrition, described the situation of starvation in India as 'serious.' It said the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, and climate change have contributed to malnutrition in India and South Asian countries. Besides the rankings, India's GHI score has also declined. In 2000, India's GHI score was 38.8, which has fallen to the 28.2-29.1 range between 2014 and 2022.
How do the neighboring countries perform?
According to reports, Bangladesh has dropped eight places to 84th out of 121 nations, down from the 76th rank recorded last year. Almost all of the neighboring countries have shown some deterioration, but performed admirably compared to India. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar were placed 99, 64, 84, 81, and 71, in that order, reports said.
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Countries which are behind India
GHI report said some countries including Zambia, Afghanistan, Timor-Leste, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Congo, Madagascar, Central African Republic, and Yemen trail India in the rankings. Due to a lack of data, Guinea, Mozambique, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria were excluded from this index.
What is Global Hunger Index?
Every year, a GHI report is issued to examine global hunger. Concern Worldwide, an Irish non-profit organization, and Welt Hunger Hilfe, a German nonprofit, release it. This research covered 119 countries in 2018, 117 in 2019, 107 in 2020, and 116 in 2021. Countries with lower scores receive a higher ranking, whereas countries with higher scores receive a lower ranking.
How is GHI score decided?
The GHI score is based on four indicators: undernourishment, child wasting, stunting, and child mortality. Child wasting is defined as children under the age of five who are underweight for their height and have acute malnutrition. Child stunting, on the other hand, refers to children under the age of five who are short for their age and have chronic malnutrition.
