Global Hunger Index (GHI)

It is a multidimensional statistical tool used to describe the state of

countries hunger situation. The GHI measures progress and failures in the
global fight against hunger and provide insight into drivers of hunger. It is
updated once a year. By raising awareness and understanding of regional
and country differences in hunger, the GHI aims to trigger actions to reduce
hunger.

First published 2006 by International Food Policy Research

Institute (IFPRI), with the Welthungerhilfe, a German NGO.
Since 2007, the Irish NGO Concern Worldwide joined the group as
co-publisher 2014
Calculation
Calculated each year by the International

Food Policy Research

Institute (IFPRI)
GHI 2014 was calculated for 120 developing countries and countries in
transition
Global Hunger Index report every year focuses on a main topic: in
2014- hidden hunger
The GHI ranks countries on a 100 - point scale.

Zero is the best score (no hunger), and 100 is the worst.
o <4.9 low hunger
o 5-9.9 moderate hunger
o 10-9.9 serious hunger

o 20-29.9 Alarming
o >30 extremely alarming

Criteria for deciding on the index - combines three equally weighted

indicators in one index number:
Undernourishment: the proportion of undernourished as

percentage of the population (reflecting the share of the population

with insufficient calorie intake)
Child underweight: the proportion of children younger than the age
of 5 who are underweight (low weight for age reflecting wasting,
stunted growth, or both), which is one indicator of child undernutrition
Child mortality: the mortality rate of children younger than the age
of 5 (partially reflecting the fatal synergy of inadequate dietary intake
and unhealthy environments )
Global Hunger Index Worldwide
Worldwide Global Hunger Index 2014 has a value of 12.5. 39%
reduction overall as compared to 1990.
Hunger is highest in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Very little hunger can be found in the Near East and North Africa,
Latin America and the Caribbean as well as in Eastern Europe and
the Commonwealth of Independent States
Extremely alarming - Burundi (35.6) and Eritrea (33.8).
Alarming - 14 countries ( including countries in Sub-Saharan Africa,
Haiti, Lao PDR and Timor-Leste)
Indias status

2013

63rd Ranking
55th out of 76 countries

2014

Parameter
Underweight children

Ahead of Bangladesh and Pak

Behind Nepal and Sri Lanka
India
2005: ~45% of total children
2013: ~31%

Undernourished people

2004-06: ~22%
2011-13: 17%

Child mortality under 5

2005: ~8%
2014: ~6%

Hidden Hunger
This micronutrient deficiency develops when humans do not take in enough
micronutrients such as zinc, folate, iron and vitamins, or when their bodies
cannot absorb them. Every third person in world suffers from Hidden
hunger. (Total 2 billion)
Reasons
unbalanced diet

 a higher need for micronutrients (e.g. during pregnancy or while

breast feeding)
Health issues related to sickness, infections or parasites.
Consequences
Mental impairment, bad health, low productivity and death caused by
sicknes. In particular, children are affected if they do not absorb enough
micronutrients in the first 1000 days of their lives (beginning with
conception).
Solutions
Essential to ensure a diverse diet fortified flour, iodised salt
Promoting the production of a wide variety of nutrient-rich plants and
the creation of house gardens
Industrial enrichment of food or biofortification of feedplants (e.g.
vitamin A rich sweet potatoes)
Indirect - education and empowerment of women, the creation of
better sanitation and adequate hygiene, and access to clean drinking
water and health services.
PDS Reform
Hidden Hunger in India (as per Global hunger report)
Iodine deficiency
Anemia among pregnant women
Anemia among children under 5
Vit.A deficiency

Indias progress

25%
54%
59%
62%

1. No. of underweight/ malnourished have declined. Mainly due to

MNREGA, NRHM, ICDS and other schemes.
2. This happened because fast growing economies increase investment
in social sector programs. Similar phenomenon seen in Brazil and
China.
Cons
1. In comparison to India, other countries on similar GDP/growth rate
have pulled out more people from Hunger- example Venezuela,
Mexico, Cuba, Ghana, Thailand and Vietnam all achieving more
than 55% increase in their GHI score.
2. The report took dataset from a UNICEF report which took data from a
health ministry survey.This think tank hasnt done separate survey of
its own for crosschecking (Whether malnutrition in India is indeed
reduced or not?)
3. Other survey results conducted earlier show differing numbers. The
current report numbers cannot be taken as the final number.
4. Moreover, state-wise differences are not yet known.
5. Highest no. of under 5 underweight children live in India.
6. 70% of Indian children are anaemic.
7. Hidden hunger still continues.