India ranks 105th out of 127 countries in the 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI), with its hunger levels classified as “serious.” The GHI is calculated based on four critical indicators. Our numbers in those categories are as follows: Undernourishment (13.7% population is undernourished), Child stunting (35.5% under the age of 5), Child wasting (18.7% under the age of 5) and Child mortality (2.9% under the age of 5). These numbers are not something that we can be proud of, considering that we are aspiring to become the third largest economy in the world and we like to position ourselves as “vishwaguru” (global leader) entering its “amritkaal” (golden era).
India’s GHI score of 27.3 suggests that achieving the United Nations’“Zero Hunger” goal by 2030 is unlikely without substantial improvements. The GHI report highlights that hunger levels in India remain a pressing concern despite efforts by the government and its associated agencies. Rubbing salt in our wounds is the fact that countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka managed to achieve “moderate” rating (better than India) with countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan also getting a “serious” rating in hunger levels.
India’s performance in GHI reveals deep-seated flaws in its approach to food security. The GHI report jointly issued by Concern Worldwide, an Ireland-based humanitarian organization, and Welthungerhilfe, a German non-governmental organization, focused on hunger eradication and development, stresses that economic growth alone does not guarantee food security, as stark income inequality prevents vulnerable populations from accessing healthy diets. Rising food inflation driven by extreme weather events, crop failures, and reservoir shortages exacerbates the crisis. Although India’s agricultural output remains high, the challenge lies in making food accessible and affordable.
While the country boasts robust welfare initiatives like the National Food Security Act and Poshan Abhiyan, the gap between policy ambition and ground realities remains wide. There is an urgent need to align food security policies with broader issues such as climate change and maternal health, while also focusing on water, sanitation, and hygiene to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, starting with improved maternal care to ensure healthy infant birth weights.
India’s hunger crisis reflects not just economic challenges but a disconnect between political will and effective execution. Welfare schemes have made progress, but insufficient institutional support and policy indifference hinder their impact.
Instead of dismissing GHI methodology, our government must focus on proactive interventions. Strengthening safety nets, increasing PDS diversity, and integrating gender and climate considerations in policy-making are essential steps. Until these issues are addressed, “feeding its population must be a priority over international stature.” India’s aspirations for global leadership will remain questionable if it struggles to meet the basic nutritional needs of its people.
While all of the above steps and interventions are the need of the hour, there is another aspect of the solution that is rarely tapped or appreciated. Hunger should not just be viewed merely as a physiological issue but a social and moral problem that must be alleviated through ethical conduct, compassion, and justice. Islam, as a comprehensive way of life, displays profound concern for human welfare and emphasizes the importance of addressing hunger. The Quran, Hadith, and Islamic traditions place feeding the hungry at the core of personal piety and societal responsibility.
The Quran teaches that addressing hunger is both a religious obligation and an act of righteousness. Allah reminds believers of their responsibility towards those in need, saying: “And they feed, for the love of Allah, the needy, the orphan, and the captive, (saying): We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We desire from you neither reward nor thanks.” (Quran 76:8-9)
This verse emphasizes the selflessness expected of Muslims when feeding the hungry. It highlights that acts of charity should be motivated purely by the desire to seek Allah’s pleasure rather than personal gain. Islam places significant moral weight on fulfilling the needs of the vulnerable whether they be poor, orphaned, or imprisoned. Hunger is thus viewed as a collective (societal) issue, and the alleviation of suffering becomes an essential moral and spiritual duty of the entire community.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺdemonstrated deep sensitivity to hunger and advocated for feeding others as a sign of faith. He said: “He is not a believer whose stomach is filled while his neighbour goes hungry” (Al Adab al Mufrad). A true believer is expected to be aware of the conditions of those around them and must not remain indifferent to hunger, even if it affects only a neighbour. This concern extends beyond family and tribe to anyone in need, enabling a sense of shared responsibility.
Furthermore, the Prophet ﷺstated: “The best of you are those who feed others”(Musnad Ahmad, 23408) The simple act of feeding the hungry is elevated in Islam as one of the most virtuous deeds. Feeding the poor, irrespective of their faith or background, is a way to express gratitude for one’s blessings and a means of attaining nearness to Allah.
Islam addresses hunger through both institutional mechanisms and individual acts of charity, with Zakat (obligatory charity) and Sadaqah (voluntary charity) forming the core pillars. Zakat redistributes wealth to the needy, thereby combating inequality, a root cause of hunger. As the Quran commands, “Establish prayer and give Zakat, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah.” (Quran 2:110)
Scholars like Imam al-Ghazali emphasized that Zakat is more than a financial obligation; it purifies wealth and fosters empathy. Sadaqah, though voluntary, carries spiritual merit and is encouraged even during hardships, with the Prophet ﷺadvising that even half a date given in charity holds great value.
Islamic scholars have long argued that hunger is not merely a material problem but a moral failure when the privileged neglect the destitute. Imam al-Ghazali’s writings stress the moral responsibility of rulers to meet the needs of the poor, while Syed Abul A’la Maududi linked hunger to unjust economic practices and called for policies that empower the impoverished.
At the end of the day, the legitimacy of governance depends on ensuring social justice, including eradicating hunger. Thus, feeding the hungry or framing policies that ensure every man, woman and child of the country never has to suffer food-deprivation, is not only a fundamental collective moral responsibility of the society and the government of the day but also every individual’s obligation he owes towards the “khalq” (creation) of his/her Lord.