Global Hunger Index 2022: India ranks 107th out of 121 countries

New Delhi, Oct 15: India slipped six places on Global Hunger Index 2022 to take 107th position out of 121 countries ranked. India has been ranked behind its neighbours Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal but except the war-torn Afghanistan. With a score of 29.1, , the publishers of Global Hunger Index - European NGOs Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe- have labelled the level of hunger in India as 'serious'.

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool for comprehensively measuring and tracking hunger at global, regional, and national levels as by region and by country. It is published annually by Concern Worldwide, Ireland's largest aid and humanitarian agency and Welthungerhilfe, one of the largest private aid organisations in Germany.

It is based on four indicators - under-nourishment, wasting (low weight for height), stunting (low height for age) and under-five mortality. Since 2014, India's performance has improved significantly on stunting and infant mortality. However the graphs for wasting and undernourishment have shown a small upward trend, according to GHI data.

In 2021, India was ranked 101 out of 116 countries. Now with 121 countries in the list, it has dropped to the 107th rank. India's GHI score has also decelerated - from 38.8 in 2000 to the range of 28.2 - 29.1 between 2014 and 2022.

Seventeen countries, including China, Turkey, and Kuwait, shared the top rank with GHI score of less than five, the website of the Global Hunger Index that tracks hunger and malnutrition said on Saturday.

Congress MP P Chidambaram, citing the report, said our score has worsened since 2014 in the 8 years of the Narendra Modi-led government. "When will the Hon'ble PM address real issues like malnutrition, hunger, and stunting and wasting among children?" he asked on Twitter.

India's ranking in the GHI has been falling starkly for the past five years. From 97th position in 2016, India fell to 107th this year. In 2017, it was 100th, in 2021, it was 101st.