Harvard University

Sustainable Food Systems in India – Annotated Bibliography

Secretina Ruth Draper

ENVR E-101 (11925):

Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Sustainability and Global Development

Professor Michael Mortimer

October 30, 2024

Word Count: 1,013

References:
Building a new India. Life for the land. (ca. 1969). [Video Recordings; 1 encoded moving

image (12.58 min.): sound, black and white]. Wellcome Collection.

https://jstor.org/stable/community.36646950

This archival documentary provides historical evidence of British involvement in

attempting to correct Indian soil depletion in Sindri, an effort which remains

ongoing at that location (Pramanik, 2024). The storied involvement of erstwhile

colonial powers in improving Indian agricultural yields is well documented and

serves my research in two ways: firstly, this source demonstrates the long-term

relationship between India and Britain, and secondly, it credibly assists in

building a narrative of India’s mixed success in accepting agricultural aid from

Great Britain and the USA.

Caballero-Anthony, M., Teng, P., Lassa, J., Nair, T., & Shrestha, M. (2016). India. In

Public Stockpiling of Rice in Asia Pacific (pp. 20–27). S. Rajaratnam School of

International Studies. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep05935.7

This report is another indication of India’s production outpacing its public access

to food. The authors provide much needed Indian perspectives on the public

health crisis in India. Further insights into the growing deficit between India’s

stockpiles and its peoples’ dietary needs are addressed. Research

methodologies appear sound and this source bears indicators of credibility.

Deaton, A., & Drèze, J. (2009). Food and Nutrition in India: Facts and Interpretations.

Economic and Political Weekly, 44(7), 42–65. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40278509

In this landmark report in 2009, Deaton and Drèze discovered that Indias are not

currently increasing their caloric consumption, despite increases in real GDP.

This bears relevance to my study of how to achieve SDG #2 in India. Based on

their broad body of work, Deaton and Drèze seem to be prominent voices on the

topic of hunger mitigation in India today. This special article further shows that

there has been no real, relative increase in food expenditures on the whole,

despite the average income rising steadily since 1988, which will bear up my

argument that the solution to India’s hunger problem lies in dismantling

discriminatory attitudes among India’s upper and middle classes, not merely

increasing GDP or crop yields.

Drèze, J. (2004). Democracy and Right to Food. Economic and Political Weekly, 39(17),

1723–1731. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4414934

Jean Drèze’s economic research has bearing on the fight to end world hunger,

particularly by solving SDG #2 in India. In this report, he makes the case for

addressing India’s hunger crisis by way of enshrining democratic ideals such as

equality. Drèze’s astute application of “economic democracy” helps readers

understand the philosophical conundrum facing India today. This article is from a
 peer-reviewed academic journal covering social sciences, and is published by the

Samseeksha Trust.

Finnin, M. S. (2016). Food Security in India. In Food Security in India, China, and the

World (pp. 4-1-4–6). Institute for Defense Analyses.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep22859.7

This source is included as a particular look at governmental farming subsidies

and their performance across India, primarily. Finnin makes an excellent case for

the continued development of governmental hunger interventions in India. Like

many authors chosen for inclusion in my study, Finnin marks food accessibility,

not production, as the main hurdle to meeting India’s nutritional needs, which

furthers my argument that ending hunger in India will be a social, not just

agricultural work.

Goswami, R. (2010). The Food Industry in India and Its Logic. Economic and Political

Weekly, 45(41), 15–18. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25742170

Economic and Political Weekly is a peer-reviewed journal I have chosen to

references due to its keen economic insights and upright academic journalism. In

this article, Goswami dives into financial market performance and reveals that

improved GDP in India is not directly associated with improved nutritional

outcomes for Indian citizens. Goswami proposes governmental agricultural

 subsidies as a potential solution, which will provide my readers with a greater

understanding of the solutions currently being promoted by academics.

Kumari, A., & Sharma, P. (2021). Social Responsibility and Legal Education in India: A

Study in Special Reference to National Law Universities. In B. Hall & R. Tandon (Eds.),

Socially Responsible Higher Education: International Perspectives on Knowledge

Democracy (pp. 153–168). Brill. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctv1v7zbn5.19

In the introduction to this edited collection, Kumari and Sharma expertly detail a

holistic look at taking legal action in India, a democracy in turmoil. This trusted

Brill source paints a compelling picture of the complex legal system in India,

which is troubled by discriminatory practices against marginalized groups. In a

historical look at ancient Indian legend, there is evidence that social responsibility

once played a crucial role at the heart of legal practice in India, but the authors

suggests that such virtues have been largely cast off in the pursuit of fame,

money, and professionalism.

Morrison, Herbert, 1888-1965., Huxley, Julian, 1887-1975., Hopkins, Gowland., Orr,

John Boyd., Astor, Waldorf Astor, Viscount, 1879-1952., M’Gonigle, G. C. M. (George

Cuthberth Mura), -1939., & Macarisson, Robert. (1936). Enough to eat? : the nutrition

film. [Video Recordings; 1 encoded moving image (21:03 min.): sound, black and white].

Wellcome Collection. https://jstor.org/stable/community.36647082

 This archival source provides an adequate discussion of how food choices are

typically voluntarily adjusted according to poverty levels by those experiencing

undernourishment. In modern India, these trends are still upheld (Drèze 2004),

making this a relevant source of information and of predictive power to indicate

how modern Indians will likely continue cope with food insecurity until their

poverty is mitigated.

Pramanik, S. (2024). Compliance Report on Environment Clearance: Ammonia Urea

Fertilizer Plant. Sindri, India. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://hurl.net.in/sindri-

project

This is report indicates the continued high yield of ammonium phosphate for use

by Indian farmers, which is relevant to my research into SDG #2. This

environmental compliance report indicates a high level of cooperation among

British, Indian, and American governmental agencies to provide subsidized

fertilizer to Indian farmers. The factual and governmental nature of this source,

as well as its recency, lend to its credibility.

Reddy, A. A. (2016). Food security indicators in India compared to similar countries.

Current Science, 111(4), 632–640. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24908538

Reddy sheds light on the complex food security issues plaguing India – and

provides a rich analysis of food availability, access, stability and utilization with

the use of FAO food security indicators for India. This peer-reviewed general
article lends credence, and provides both valuable insights and realistic solutions

to India’s "miserable” and “appalling” performance in public health and nutrition.