India feeds the world, yet millions within its own borders go to bed hungry every night. According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023, India ranks 111th out of 125 countries, with a GHI score of 28.7 — classified as “serious.” The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reveals that 35.5% of children under five are stunted, 19.3% are wasted, and 32.1% are underweight. Behind these numbers are real children, real families, and real communities caught in a cycle of poverty and malnutrition.
Food insecurity in India is not simply a supply problem — it is a problem of access, awareness, and systemic inequality. While the Public Distribution System (PDS) and schemes like PM Poshan (formerly Mid-Day Meal Scheme) have reached hundreds of millions, significant pockets of hunger persist, particularly among migrant workers, tribal communities, urban slum populations, and drought-affected rural areas.
NGOs on the Frontlines of Food Security
Non-governmental organisations across India have become lifelines for communities that fall through the cracks of government programmes. From community kitchens and food banks to nutrition awareness drives and fortified food distribution, NGOs are tackling hunger through a combination of immediate relief and long-term sustainable interventions.
In states like Rajasthan, where seasonal drought and dependence on agriculture make food security especially fragile, the role of NGOs is critical. When crops fail and daily wages dry up, families are left with no safety net — and it is civil society that often responds first and fastest.
SGJSS: Nourishing Communities in Rajasthan
Shree Guru Jambeshwar Sewa Sansthan (SGJSS) has been working to combat hunger and malnutrition in and around Jaipur, extending support to over 10,000 individuals through food distribution drives, nutrition camps, and community feeding programmes. Our work focuses particularly on children, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly — the most nutritionally vulnerable groups.
During festivals, crises, and lean agricultural seasons, SGJSS organises large-scale food distribution drives that reach families who might otherwise have nothing on their plates. Our nutrition awareness campaigns educate mothers and caregivers on balanced diets, breastfeeding practices, and the importance of micronutrients — knowledge that has a lasting impact on child health and development.
We also collaborate with local government health centres and anganwadis to identify malnourished children and provide supplementary nutrition support, helping bring them back to healthy weight and development milestones. Every child we pull back from the edge of malnutrition is a victory not just for that family, but for the community and the nation.
Food Justice Is Everyone’s Responsibility
India has the resources, the agricultural capacity, and the policy frameworks to end hunger. What is needed is coordinated action, sustained funding, and community-level implementation. The Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger (SDG 2) by 2030 is ambitious but achievable — if NGOs, governments, and citizens work together.
The right to food is a fundamental right enshrined in the spirit of the Indian Constitution. No child should lose years of development to malnutrition. No family should choose between food and dignity. With collective effort, we can ensure that every Indian has enough to eat — not just on special occasions, but every single day.
Help us feed more families. Your donation to SGJSS enables us to expand our food distribution drives, nutrition camps, and community feeding programmes across Rajasthan. Donate now and fight hunger with us.