Who are Food-Insecure? – NCERT Economics Class 9 Chapter 4 Notes & PDF

Topic covered: Who are Food-Insecure? and MCQs Questions: Food Security in India (All single detail notes are exam-oriented).

We have discussed in-depth and exam-oriented pointers that can be asked in the board exam of class 9th about the “Who are Food-Insecure?“ from the NCERT Economics notes for class 9th chapter 4 Food Security in India.

Download the NCERT Economics for Class 9th Chapter 4 Food Security in India Notes PDF

Chapter 4: Food Security in India in Class 9 Economics highlights why access to food is essential for every citizen and how the government ensures it through systems like the Public Distribution System (PDS). The chapter also discusses the role of agriculture, buffer stocks, and rationing in preventing food shortages. Students often struggle to connect these policies with real-life examples, so these notes simplify the concepts in a straightforward way. Download the NCERT Economics for Class 9th Chapter 4 Food Security in India Notes PDF to quickly revise definitions, important terms, and exam-oriented points without feeling overwhelmed.

Who are Food-Insecure?

1. Groups Most Affected:

• Worst affected:
  • Landless people with little or no land.
  • Traditional artisans and service providers.
  • Petty self-employed workers.
  • Destitutes, including beggars.
• Urban food-insecure families:
  • Working members in low-paid occupations.
  • Engaged in casual and seasonal labor, earning just enough for survival.

2. Social Composition and Vulnerability:

• SCs, STs, and some lower-caste OBCs with poor land or low land productivity are highly prone to food insecurity.
• Natural disaster victims who migrate for work are also food insecure.
• Women and children face high malnutrition rates, affecting both mothers and unborn babies.
• Pregnant and nursing mothers, and children under 5 constitute a critical segment of the food-insecure population (~11 crore according to NHFS 1998–99).

3. Regional Concentration:

• Food insecurity is higher in economically backward states, tribal and remote areas, and disaster-prone regions.
• Major states with highest food insecurity:
  • Uttar Pradesh (eastern & south-eastern parts)
  • Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra

4. Hunger as an Indicator of Food Insecurity:

• Hunger both reflects and perpetuates poverty.
• Chronic hunger: Persistently inadequate diet in quantity or quality; linked to very low income.
• Seasonal hunger: Linked to agricultural cycles; rural areas affected by seasonal farming, urban areas affected through casual labor jobs.
• Seasonal and chronic hunger exist when people cannot get work year-round.
• Percentage of both chronic and seasonal hunger has declined in India over time.

5. Food Self-Sufficiency in India:

• India aims for self-sufficiency in foodgrains since Independence.
• Green Revolution increased production of wheat and rice.
• Indira Gandhi (1968) commemorated wheat success with ‘Wheat Revolution’ stamp; rice production later followed.
• Foodgrain production growth has been disproportionate across states.

6. Recent Foodgrain Production (2020–22):

• Total foodgrain production: 310 million tonnes (2020–21) → 315 million tonnes (2021–22).
• Wheat production:
  • Uttar Pradesh – 36 million tonnes (2020–21)
  • Madhya Pradesh – 18 million tonnes (2020–21)
• Rice production:
  • West Bengal – 17 million tonnes (2020–21)
  • Uttar Pradesh – 16 million tonnes (2020–21)

7. Key Takeaways:

• Food insecurity in India is linked to social, economic, regional, and natural factors.
• Policies like Green Revolution helped improve foodgrain production but vulnerabilities persist in certain groups and regions.
• Women, children, landless laborers, casual workers, and disaster-affected populations are most at risk.

Story of Ramu

1. Family Background:

• Ramu is a casual agricultural labourer in Raipur village.
• His family consists of wife Sunhari, four sons (eldest is Somu, 10 years old) and two daughters.

2. Child Labour:

• Eldest son Somu works as a pali (cattle caretaker) for the village Sarpanch, paid Rs 1,000 per year.
• Other children are too young to work, highlighting dependence on child labour in poor families.

3. Wife’s Contribution:

• Sunhari works part-time as a house cleaner for livestock, receiving ½ litre milk, cooked food, and vegetables.
• She also works in the fields during busy agricultural seasons, supplementing family income.

4. Nature of Employment:

• Agriculture is seasonal, providing employment only during sowing, transplanting, and harvesting.
• Ramu remains unemployed for about 4 months during plant consolidation and maturing.
• To supplement income, he does bricklaying or construction work when agriculture work is unavailable.

5. Income and Livelihood:

• Ramu earns enough to buy two square meals for his family through cash and kind.
• During periods without work, food scarcity occurs, and sometimes children sleep without food.

6. Food Security Status:

• Milk and vegetables are not regularly available in meals.
• Food insecurity lasts about 4 months annually due to the seasonal nature of agricultural work.

7. Broader Economic Insight:

• Illustrates seasonal unemployment in agriculture.
• Highlights dependence on irregular cash and kind earnings for subsistence.
• Reflects the vulnerability of rural households to food insecurity.

Story of Ahmad

1. Background:

• Ahmad is a rickshaw puller in Bangalore.
• He migrated from Jhumri Taliah with 3 brothers, 2 sisters, and elderly parents.
• Family lives in a jhuggi (slum).

2. Income and Employment:

• Ahmad’s entire family depends on his daily earnings.
• Employment is not secured; earnings fluctuate daily.
• On some days, he earns enough to save a little; on other days, he barely meets daily necessities.
• He is the only earning member in a large family.

3. Food Security Support:

• Ahmad holds a yellow PDS card (for Below Poverty Line families).
• Through PDS, he receives wheat, rice, sugar, and kerosene oil at half the market price.
• He purchases monthly supplies on a specific ration shop day.

4. Significance:

• PDS support helps Ahmad manage survival despite low and irregular income.
• Highlights urban food insecurity for casual workers.
• Shows role of government intervention in protecting vulnerable families from hunger.

5. Exam Tip:

• This story is often used to illustrate:
  • Urban poverty
  • Vulnerability of casual laborers
  • Importance of Public Distribution System (PDS)

Next & Previous Topics of NCERT/CBSE Economics Class 9 Chapter 4: Food Security in India

MCQs on NCERT Economics Class 9 Chapter 4 Topic – Who are Food-Insecure?

Here are the top exam-oriented MCQ-type questions on “Who are Food-Insecure?” that you should prepare for your CBSE or state board exams:

Question 1. Who are considered the worst affected by food and nutrition insecurity in India?

a) Landless people with little or no land
b) High-income urban households
c) Government employees
d) Industrial workers with permanent jobs

Answer: a) Landless people with little or no land

Question 2. Which of the following groups are also prone to food insecurity?

a) Traditional artisans and petty self-employed workers
b) Destitutes including beggars
c) Both a and b
d) None of the above

Answer: c) Both a and b

Question 3. In urban areas, food insecure families usually have members employed in:

a) IT companies
b) Ill-paid occupations and casual labour market
c) Government services
d) Large manufacturing units

Answer: b) Ill-paid occupations and casual labour market

Question 4. Ramu is food insecure for about how many months in a year?

a) 2 months
b) 4 months
c) 6 months
d) 12 months

Answer: b) 4 months

Question 5. Why is Ramu food insecure during 4 months in a year?

a) He spends too much on luxury items
b) Agriculture is seasonal and he remains unemployed during plant consolidation and maturing period
c) He refuses to work in the city
d) His children do not work

Answer: b) Agriculture is seasonal and he remains unemployed during plant consolidation and maturing period

Question 6. How does Ahmad manage food security for his family despite irregular earnings?

a) He has permanent employment
b) He has a PDS Yellow Card providing subsidised wheat, rice, sugar, and kerosene
c) He owns farmland
d) He receives foreign aid

Answer: b) He has a PDS Yellow Card providing subsidised wheat, rice, sugar, and kerosene

Question 7. The social composition plays a role in food insecurity. Which groups are especially prone?

a) SCs, STs, and some OBCs with low land base
b) Rich urban entrepreneurs
c) Government officers
d) Middle-class salaried employees

Answer: a) SCs, STs, and some OBCs with low land base

Question 8. Hunger is an aspect of food insecurity. Which statement is correct?

a) Hunger is only a consequence of low income
b) Hunger can both indicate and bring about poverty
c) Hunger is not related to food insecurity
d) Hunger affects only adults

Answer: b) Hunger can both indicate and bring about poverty

Question 9. Chronic hunger is caused by:

a) Seasonal fluctuations in agricultural work
b) Persistently inadequate diets in terms of quantity and/or quality
c) Natural disasters only
d) High prices in urban markets

Answer: b) Persistently inadequate diets in terms of quantity and/or quality

Question 10. Seasonal hunger occurs mainly due to:

a) Poor government policies
b) Seasonal nature of agricultural activities or casual labour work
c) High literacy
d) Industrialisation

Answer: b) Seasonal nature of agricultural activities or casual labour work

Question 11. Which group of people are especially vulnerable to malnutrition?

a) Pregnant and nursing mothers, children under 5 years
b) Senior citizens only
c) Wealthy urban households
d) College students

Answer: a) Pregnant and nursing mothers, children under 5 years

Question 12. In India, the largest number of food insecure people are concentrated in which states?

a) Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka
b) Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
c) Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh
d) Goa, Sikkim, Mizoram

Answer: b) Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra

Question 13. India adopted the Green Revolution mainly to:

a) Increase export of luxury crops
b) Achieve self-sufficiency in foodgrains
c) Reduce industrial dependency
d) Improve software industry

Answer: b) Achieve self-sufficiency in foodgrains

Question 14. Which crop was officially celebrated by the “Wheat Revolution” stamp in 1968?

a) Rice
b) Wheat
c) Maize
d) Barley

Answer: b) Wheat

Question 15. Which states recorded the highest wheat production in 2020–21?

a) Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
b) West Bengal and Tamil Nadu
c) Bihar and Jharkhand
d) Maharashtra and Gujarat

Answer: a) Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh

Question 16. Which states recorded significant rice production in 2020–21?

a) West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh
b) Punjab and Haryana
c) Kerala and Karnataka
d) Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh

Answer: a) West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh

Question 17. Seasonal hunger in urban areas occurs mainly among:

a) Office workers
b) Casual construction labourers
c) IT professionals
d) Teachers

Answer: b) Casual construction labourers

Question 18. Which of the following is true about food insecure populations in India?

a) They are mostly found in economically backward and disaster-prone regions
b) They are evenly distributed across all states
c) Urban rich are most vulnerable
d) Only children are affected

Answer: a) They are mostly found in economically backward and disaster-prone regions

Question 19. Chronic hunger in rural areas is mainly due to:

a) Seasonal work and low income
b) Lack of literacy
c) Industrialisation
d) Urbanisation

Answer: a) Seasonal work and low income

Question 20. Ramu’s family struggles to get:

a) Two square meals during off-season
b) Education for his children
c) Access to PDS
d) Government aid

Answer: a) Two square meals during off-season