Book Description
The present study was undertaken with an overall objective of assessment of food consumption pattern, calorie and nutrient derivation. In Tumakuru district of Karnataka state, primary data were collected from 120 rural households. The rural households inadequately consumed proteins, milk and milk products. In terms of vegetables, fruits and egg and meat consumption, they were severely inadequate. Among the nutrients intake, the households were inadequate in fats, iron, riboflavin, niacin and carotene intake. The subsidized food items through PDS had greatly helped in attainment of calorie security but had severely lacked in terms of providing balanced diet security. In the presence of food subsidy, share of total expenditure on food was 67.24 per cent among AAY farm households and 59.98 per cent among BPL farm households, which would rise to 75.16 per cent and 65.62 per cent, respectively in the absence of food subsidy. In the presence of food subsidy, proportion of income saved was 30.72 per cent among AAY farm households and 24.19 per cent among BPL farm households, which would decrease to 8.65 per cent and 11.76 per cent, respectively in the absence of food subsidy. In the presence of food subsidy, the vulnerability to food insecurity of AAY farm, AAY non-farm and BPL non-farm households reduced significantly. The optimized food expenditure per consumptive unit per day for major nutrients and all nutrients was Rs. 34.49 and Rs. 36.56 respectively. The food basket of rural households needs to be expanded to ensure nutritional security.
