GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX

GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX

Subject : International Reports

Context : Union Minister for Agriculture questioned in the Rajya Sabha the methodology and data accuracy of the Global Hunger Index (GHI) report, which has placed India at 94th among 107 countries in 2020.

Concept :

• The Minister said the government had written to the NGO, Welthungerhilfe, which compiles the report, expressing concerns about their methodology, data accuracy and sample size.
• India’s ranking had improved from 102 in 2019 to 94 in 2020. But still, India was ranked below countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Global Hunger Index

• Annual Report: Jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe.
• It was first produced in 2006. It is published every October. The 2020 edition marks the 15th edition of the GHI.
• Aim: To comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and country levels.
• Calculation: The GHI scores are calculated each year to assess progress and setbacks in combating hunger. It is calculated on the basis of four indicators:

Undernourishment: Share of the population with insufficient caloric intake.

Child Wasting: Share of children under age five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition.

Child Stunting: Share of children under age five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition.

Child Mortality: The mortality rate of children under the age of five.

• Based on the values of the four indicators, the GHI determines hunger on a 100-point scale where 0 is the best possible score (no hunger) and 100 is the worst.
• Each country’s GHI score is classified by severity, from low to extremely alarming.