The state of Odisha in India has a grim malnutrition problem. The growing risk of climate change is rendering rice-wheat cropping unsustainable given the resource intensiveness. The present chapter narrates the potential of nutrient-rich, resource-efficient, and climate-resilient millets to address the malnutrition among tribal populations. The dual challenge of malnutrition coupled with growing food insecurity, environmentally unsustainable agricultural practices on account of climate change vis-à-vis empowerment of tribal women was solved by the government initiative called the Odisha Millets Mission (OMM). OMM aimed to promote the cultivation of millets in the state to boost the livelihood concerns, and nutritional deficiencies. Women empowerment in tribal areas was taken up because vulnerability to climate change is exacerbated by inequalities and marginalization related to gender, low income, and other socio-economic factors. Solutions to combat climate change will be more effective if they can address this reality.
TopIntroduction
Climate change poses frightening challenges to agricultural production and food security. In India, ending food security remains high on the list of development priorities, as the country's rapid economic growth has not always translated into reducing hunger and correcting malnutrition. Sadly, India has the second highest number of undernourished people in the world (FAO 2015). According to the latest Global Hunger Index (2019)1, (GHI) India is 102 out of 117 countries. In fact, India's neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka (66th), Nepal (73rd), Bangladesh (88th) and Pakistan (9th) have better GHI2 values and scores. It is difficult to identify the causality of India’s growing food insecurity, since the country is the second largest producer of fruits, vegetables and food grains.
To substantiate, in India, even after seven decades of independence, tribal people suffer from extreme inequity in health outcomes arising from food insecurity3. Government interventions following the passage of the National Food Security Act, failed to eradicate food and nutritional insecurities4 completely. Green Revolution has prioritized wheat and rice (fine grains) cultivation and undermined the millet cultivation as they were coarse unlike the fine grains (Bhatt et al, 2016). Though, rice-wheat cropping system is extremely resource intensive and unsustainable in the long run, millets were perceived to be poor man’s food and it became an orphaned crop as it lacked institutional support for its cultivation. The poor forcibly shifted to paddy cultivation in spite of high agricultural costs (decline in groundwater levels and water-logging) and also began consuming the fine grains deviating from their staple millets diet leading to micronutrients deficiency. National Family Health Survey found prevalence of stunting and wasting (underweight and under-height) among children of Scheduled Tribes followed by Scheduled Castes due to malnutrition in various states including Odisha state. The challenge of food insecurity is expected to grow in future due to climate change. It is observed that climate change affects women more than men given their vulnerabilities due to cultural norms and socio-economic factors, such as systematic violence, domestic work overload, and minimal access to basic human rights and so on.
The current instance focuses on the 42 million-person state of Odisha in India, where 70% of the population depend on agriculture as the source of income. The state is most vulnerable to climate change as it is located in the country’s east coast with a 480 kilometres of sensitive coastline making it prone to frequent cyclones, and coastal erosion. With the monsoon dictating the timing of agriculture, the land productivity of the non-irrigated, rain-fed agriculture that the tribal women engage in is directly impacted by irregular, late, or insufficient monsoons. Majority of the tribal women in Odisha rely on agriculture, forestry, and fishing for their lives, livelihoods, and living conditions. Prolonged droughts/rains devastate food supply and dried-up/flooded water sources thus destroying livelihoods.
The challenge before Government of Odisha state was three-fold:
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How to face the dual challenge of malnutrition coupled with growing food insecurity, and environmentally unsustainable agricultural practices on account of climate change?
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What types of crops should be promoted that can be climate-smart as well as reduce nutritional insecurities and outcomes?
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How to come up with regenerative strategies for climate justice?
To answer the above, a strategic approach begins with an assessment of the current scenario: our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to achieve sustainable nutrition security for all.