India's Food Security Strategy and its Impact on the Food Surplus State of Punjab

Based upon both primary data obtained from farmers and secondary data from government publications and Web sites this study examines the country's food security status, role of domestic food production to enhance national food security, and its impact upon the agricultural sector in the surplus agrarian region state of Punjab. Research indicates that the poverty level continues to be high and it varies across regions. The Public Distribution System constitutes a key element of food security in the country. It has come to rely upon internal procurement with the widespread dissemination of green revolution technology accompanied by a supportive policy framework. Government procures both wheat and rice from the surplus regions to feed the PDS. The state of Punjab has emerged a major contributor for both these crops. As this has heavily tilted the cropping patterns toward these crops, farmers have come to face several environmental problems, particularly that of water depletion. Due to low socioeconomic profiles and the lack of adequate market infrastructure, farmers are unable to make large-scale shifts in their cropping patterns. Thus it has endangered farmers' own food security, which may create a new dimension to food security in these countries.