This power point was used in session 3 of the workshop on Gender and Food Security in India organised by Visthar, Bangalore India. It examines gender issues in food production, access, and utilisation, and trends in the same. It argues the need for addressing gender and food security from the point of view of efficiency, effectiveness and equity,

1. Gender and food security
Ranjani.K.Murthy and Mercy Kappen

2. Objectives
• To understand gender issues in food security
with a focus on food production, food access,
and food utilisation

3. Social relations and institutions responsible for
Nagamma’s and her family’s food insecurity
• State • Family
• Inter-state
org.
Caste Class
Gender
Marital
status
• Commu- • Market
nity

4. Gender adverse coping mechanisms
• Pulling daughter out of school
• Selling cow normally managed by women

5. Summing up
• Different social relations and institutions are
responsible for food insecurity and gender
issues in food insecurity

6. Gender issues in food production
Land
Decisions
Credit
Irrigation
cooperatives
Men
Production
Small
livestock
Small cash
crops
Women

7. Gender issues in food access
Sphere Who is responsible
Men Women
Decision making on how
much to keep for
consumption
_/ *
Access to income to buy
grains
More Less
Purchase of grains Large Small
Control over ration card MHH more FHH less

8. Gender issues in food utilization
Post
harvest
processing
fuel
water
Cooking
Eat less, last

9. Gender issues in food utilization
Reproductive
work
Girls Pulled out
Lesser access
to MDMS

10. Trends
• In the last ten years, food security situation
has become worse
• Affecting women and girls more than men and
boys

11. Arguments for addressing gender and
food security
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Equity