Afsharinia, B and Gurtoo, A (2024) Food Security in the Informal Sector: Interventions and Challenges for the SDGs. [Book Chapter]
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, starting in early 2020, has significantly compromised global commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, notably affecting areas like food security (SDG 2) and the economy (SDG 8). Informal economy platform employees have been among the most impacted. In India alone, 7.7 million workers in the informal economy have suffered, with nearly 90 of unskilled and semi-skilled workers experiencing income loss. The widespread income loss among a significant portion of the workforce has led to disruptions in demand and supply mechanisms, thereby worsening food insecurity. This study investigates the determinants of the food consumption score (FCS) to serve as an indicator of food security within informal-economy households. A longitudinal survey of 2,830 unskilled and semi-skilled employees, including drivers, domestic workers, delivery personnel, beauticians, street vendors, small business owners, and self-employed individuals, was conducted. The findings show a significant shift towards borderline household FCS during the pandemic, with a sharp decline in daily consumption of dairy products and non-vegetarian items, indicating reduced protein intake. Consuming two or fewer meals per day increases the likelihood of poor FCS, highlighting the need for systematic interventions to ensure three regular meals per day. Moreover, insufficient government support for adequate food intake in informal economy households calls for redesigned assistance programs. Policymakers should prioritize practical solutions, such as communitybased food distribution centers and mobile food vans, to ensure the delivery of nutritious food to vulnerable populations in Bangalore. © 2024 A. Vinodan, S. Mahalakshmi, and S. Rameshkumar.
| Item Type: | Book Chapter |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Informal Economy and Sustainable Development Goals: Ideas, Interventions and Challenges |
| Publisher: | Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. |
| Additional Information: | The copyright for this article belongs to publisher. |
| Department/Centre: | Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Management Studies Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Society and Policy (formerly: Centre for Contemporary Studies) |
| Date Deposited: | 29 Nov 2024 09:25 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Nov 2024 09:25 |
| URI: | http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/86913 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
