(wl-3187)-Feeding the urban poorest: The Amma and Anna Canteen Model for Ensuring Urban Food and Nutrition Security in India

This note examined nutritional insecurity among one of the most vulnerable population sub-groups i.e. urban poorest, who often hide under the mask of “urban advantage”. Estimates from the latest NFHS suggest an alarming nutritional disadvantage among the urban poorest compared to their rural counterparts. Possible reason could be that the urban poorest, who includes migrants and slum dwellers, are hardest groups to ensure food security through existing social safety nets (e.g. public distribution system and integrated child development services) owing to their poor coverage in urban localities. Thus, initiatives like Amma (from Tamil Nadu) and Anna (from Andhra Pradesh) Canteens which provide affordable nutritious meals and promote employment, demonstrate feasible and scalable solutions to ensure food and nutrition security among the urban poorest across India