Measuring Food Security through Dietary Diversity: Insights from a Field Survey in Rural Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

The discourse on food security in India has concentrated upon availability and accessibility of cereals, neglecting the nutritional significance of fruits, vegetables and meat food products. This article attempts to assess the food security level both quantitatively and qualitatively, and level of dietary diversity among socio-economic groups. A cross sectional survey covering 304 households selected through stratified and proportional random sampling methods was conducted in six villages of Uttar Pradesh, India in 2013–2014. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and Dietary Diversity approach were used to indicate food security. Subjective assessment highlights that despite sufficient availability of food, most of the households were unable to eat the quality of food they preferred. Findings also show predominant concentration of diet towards cereals, milk, root and tuber food products. Muslims, scheduled caste, labourers and households with lower wealth index consumed a less diversified diet, which is statistically significant. This article provides important insights into the strength and limitations of food policy measures and underlines the need to move beyond the dominant cereal-based interventions for food security in emerging economies like India. JEL Code: Q18