This power point on session 5 of the workshop on gender and food security examines food security schemes and legislation from a gender and equity lens.

1. Gender critique of Food security
schemes and legislation
Ranjani.K.Murthy, and Mercy Kappen

2. Objective
a)the different food security
schemes and legislation in the
country
At the end of the session the
participants would be familiar
with
b) gender/equity critique of
food security schemes and
legislation

3. Please list…
• Schemes that you know related to food
production, food access and food utilization

4. Classifying schemes
Food production Food Access Food utilisation
Agricultural
schemes
*
Mid day meal *
ICDS * *
Public distribution
system
*

5. Group Task
• Discuss strengths and weakness of the scheme
allotted to your group in general, and from a
gender lens.

6. Strength and weakness of agricultural
schemes from a gender lens
Strength
Recognizes
WHH as
cultivators
Women’s
access tor
inputs,
marketing etc.
Collective
agriculture
Gender
sensitization
Weakness
Conversion of
agriculture
land
Contract
farming
Right to jt
land
Equal wages
Value chain
Seed
preservation

7. Strengths and weakness of Mid day
meal scheme from a gender lens
Strength
Offers potential
to expand
utilization
Helped in
retention of girl
children
Weakness
Exclusion of out
of school children
and high school
children
No food during
holidays
Caste
discrimination
Food quality
varies
The ayah who
cooks is exploited

8. Strengths and weakness of ICDS
scheme from a gender lens
Seeks to expand
access
to/utilization of
food of:
6 months-5 years
Adolescent girls
Pregnant and
lactating women
Old age pensioners
Strength
Irregular
timings, poor
facilities and
corruption
Excludes non
pregnant and
lactating
women who are
undernourished
The timing of
the centre does
not match the
work timings
The Anganwadi
worker and
Ayah are paid
poor salary
Weaknesses

9. Strengths and weakness of PDS from a
gender lens
Strength
Expands access to food of poor and poorest
Weakness
Exclusion of poor, Inclusion of rich, caste-discrimination
and corruption
Cards mainly on men’s names
Poor WHH not entitled to more rations
Ration shops are mainly run by men

10. Strength and weakness of food
security bill- General
Strength
• Entitlements
• Greater entitlement for
priority groups
• food for destitute,
migrants, homeless etc.
• Disaster and food security
• PDS can be run by SHG
and Panchayat
Weakness
• Not production & utilzn.
• Food voucher and cash
transfer -sale-alcohol
• Food security allowance
may not work
• Production vs demand
• Conversion of land
• Use of land - bio fuel/feed
• Food exports
• GM food for consumption

11. Strength and weakness of food
security bill- Gender
Card -F
Free meal to P
and L women
Maternity :
Rs 1000 6 months
Food commission
to have two
women
Extra rations
for WHH
Does
not
address
Non pregnant
women
malnourished
Women’s
names
transfers and
vouchers -
Intra-HH
inequalities