District-level Food Demand: A Better Estimate for Planning Food Production and Nutritional Security

Abstract

Telangana being the youngest state of India, has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to usher growth in major sectors of the economy. To achieve this, the state has devised and implemented several special programmes focusing agriculture such as Rythu Bandhu, Mission Kakathiya, Rythu Bheema, Dharani Telangana Farmers Free Pattadar Passbook Scheme, Cattle distribution, Sheep distribution and several other schemes for the benefit of Telangana farmers. One such scheme under implementation in the state is development of crop colonies. For its success, the Government has to create an enabling environment and channelize its efforts in developing backward and forward linkages through use of quality information on various aspects including consumption at disaggregate level. After reorganization of districts in this State from 10 to 31, the state was in urgent need for district level consumption data for evidence based policy formulations. To achieve these objectives, a quick but large scale household survey was conducted in the state.