Why in News?

• Global Food Policy Report released by the Washington DC-based International Food
•  Theme: Rural revitalization is the theme for 2019.

Highlights:

•  Marked by the deepening cycle of hunger and malnutrition, poverty, limited economic opportunities, and environmental degradation, rural areas continue to be in a state of crisis in many parts of the world.This crisis can slow the progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and global climate targets.
•  Rural population account for 45.3% of the world’s total population and at least 70% of the world’s population remains extremely poor.
•  The rural population suffers from rapid population growth rates, inadequate job and enterprise creation, poor infrastructure, scarce financial services.
•  In addition, rural communities bear the brunt of climate change impacts.• Nearly 50% of rural youth all over the world do not have any formal job – they are either unemployed or under-employed.
•  The Changing consumption patterns—driven largely by urbanization, demographic transitions, increasing income, and growing integration of food supply chains and food systems in India — offer new opportunities for entrepreneurship and employment in rural areas.

Measures to boost rural economy:

•  The rural transformation and revitalisation have been pre-eminent goal of India’s development efforts since independence.
•  India has unveiled several measures to boost rural economy and improve rural livelihoods by enhancing access to basic services, increasing investments in agriculture and rural infrastructure.
• Way forward: Changing consumption patterns—driven largely by urbanisation, demographic transitions, increasing income, and growing integration of food supply chains and food systems in India — offer new opportunities for entrepreneurship and employment in rural areas.