An analysis of food accessibility and availability of agricultural households in bundelkhand region of uttar pradesh Bishnoi Sitaram1,*, Scientist, Satyapriya1, Principal Scientist, Sangeeta V.1, Scientist, Lenin V.1, Principal Scientist, Paul Sudipta1, Scientist, Sahu Subhashree1, Scientist, Singh Premlata1, Head, Sharma J.P.2, Joint Director Extension 1Division of Agricultural Extension, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi-110012 2ICAR-IARI, New Delhi-110012 *Corresponding author email id: srext2011@gmail.com
Abstract The issue of food security is not much about availability of food grains but about the composition of the overall food basket as observed from changing consumption patterns. For a country like India, where the achievement of food security is a continuing challenge, the consequences of ignoring the problem of food and nutrition insecurity seem very dire. Food insecurity exists when all people, at all times, do not have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. The present study's focus was to understand the food accessibility and availability pattern in agricultural households in Uttar Pradesh. The survey was conducted in Banda, Hamirpur and Sitapur districts in Uttar Pradesh to measure food insecurity with the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Altogether, 360 personal interviews and 6 Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted The study shows that people of Hamirpur and Sitapur districts were comparatively less affected by food insecurity as compared to Banda district. It was found that the family size; monthly off-farm income and expenditure on food were the main factors which most likely affected food insecurity. Top Keywords Agricultural households, Food accessibility, Food availability, Food insecurity. Top |