According to the United Nations annual Hunger Report, India is home to the highest number of hungry people in the world. It is estimated that India’s hunger people is around 194 million. India has surpassed China in hunger list. The report states that globally, the number of undernourished people has fallen by 216 million between 1990-92 and 2015. However, India’s contribution to this fall has been small, with its numbers down by just 15.5 million.

The report adds that a total of 72 out of 129 countries have achieved the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the prevalence of undernourishment by 2015, with developing regions as a whole missing the target by a small margin. Also 29 countries have managed to meet the more ambitious goal of the World Food Summit in 1996 where governments had committed to halve the absolute number of undernourished by 2015.

The overall analysis of the UN report suggested that inclusive economic growth, agricultural investments and social protection, along with political stability, can eradicate hunger.

Tidbits

• The World Hunger Day is observed on May 28.
• The World Food Day is observed on October 16.
• Polyphagia – It refers to excessive hunger or increased appetite. People with Polyphagia takes lots of food.
• One in every eight  people on Earth goes to bed hungry each night.
• Hunger kills more people each year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.