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Journalism of Courage
In Bangladesh, population growth outpaced the growth in food production during the last three decades. The cereal yield (kg/h) growth rate that increased from 1.1 per cent in 1971-75 to 2.4 per cent in 1981-85 has decreased to 1.7 per cent in 1996-00. The per capita food production growth rate has been negative over the period 1971-96. Similarly, per capita food availability did not improve much until 1996-2000. The devastating floods of 1998 exposed Bangladesh’s vulnerability to natural catastrophes. It is only recently that the country has managed to increase its food production by 4.1 per cent (1996-2000) and per capita food availability by 1.8 per cent in 1996-2000.
The situation in Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka is not much different…In Bhutan, population increased from 1.4 per cent in 1971-75 to 2.0 per cent in 1976-85, and further to 2.9 per cent in 1996-2000. For the last 15 years, growth in food production has been lower than the population growth. Food production has decreased from 3.8 per cent in 1981-85 to 0.6 per cent (1986-90); rising briefly to 2.2 per cent (1991-95) and falling again to 1.1 per cent (1996-2000). Bhutan has consistently witnessed a declining trend in cereal yield per hectare and per capita food production.
In Nepal, population is growing at an average rate of 2.5 per cent while food production is fluctuating from a high growth rate of 5 per cent in 1981-85 to 2.2 per cent in 1991-95 and 2.5 per cent in 1996-2000. The per capita food availability, which had been growing strongly at 2.1 per cent in 1981-85 and 3.2 per cent in 1986-90, has shown a negative growth rate in recent decade.
In Sri Lanka, although population growth is not as high as in other countries of the region, yet food production is fluctuating erratically. The population is increasing at a decreasing pace; growing at 1.6 per cent in 1971-75 it has slowed down to 1.3 per cent in 1996-2000. This led to a declining trend in per capita food production and food supply.
In South Asia, only Pakistan and India seem to have done better than the other countries in terms of their performance in per capita food production.. .So far, Pakistan and India have effectively managed a food crisis even under unprecedented drought conditions in 2000-2001…(In Pakistan) the population growth has consistently decreased from 3.1 per cent in 1971-75 to 2.6 per cent in 1986-90 and 2.4 per cent in 1996-2000. The food production is growing at a stable rate from around an average of 3.4 per cent in 1976-85 to well above 4 per cent in the last 15 years. Domestic food availability is, however, increasing at a decreasing rate due to increasing processed food exports. This holds true for India as well.
In India, except for the damaging floods of 1998 that brought the growth rate in food production down to 2.4 per cent, it has been growing steadily above 3.0 per cent from 1976 to 1995. The per capita food production and food supply which was growing in periods spanning from 1976-80 to 1986-90 have shown a declining trend in the last ten years from 1991 to 2000.
The situation in Maldives is satisfactory. The population growth has slowed down over the years while food production has increased…
Excerpted from the latest ‘Human Development in South Asia’ report, Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre
