Given below are Assertion and Reason. Read them carefully and choose the correct answer with the help of given options.
Assertion (A): The social composition along with the inability to buy food plays a role in food insecurity.
Reason (R): The SCs, STs and some sections of the OBCs, who have either poor land-base or very low land productivity are prone to food insecurity.

Correct option is D

Correct Answer: (D) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Explanation:
→ Assertion (A): The social composition along with the inability to buy food plays a role in food insecurity. This is true. Food insecurity is not just caused by a lack of food availability but also by social factors such as caste, class, and economic status. For instance, marginalized social groups, including Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and certain sections of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), often have lower income levels and less access to resources, which affect their ability to buy food. Inability to access nutritious and sufficient food is a key indicator of food insecurity.
→ Reason (R): The SCs, STs, and some sections of the OBCs, who have either poor land-base or very low land productivity, are prone to food insecurity. This is also true. These social groups often depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, but due to limited access to land, poor land quality, or low productivity, they face challenges in producing enough food for themselves. Moreover, their lower economic status prevents them from purchasing food in the market, contributing to food insecurity.
Information Booster:
→ Food insecurity is influenced by both economic factors (inability to afford food) and social factors (discriminatory practices, access to resources).
→ Marginalized groups, such as SCs, STs, and some OBCs, are often excluded from better economic opportunities due to historical inequalities, making them more vulnerable to food insecurity.
→ Poor land quality and low productivity exacerbate the situation, as these communities depend on agriculture for both food production and income.
→ Addressing food insecurity among these groups requires improving access to land, increasing productivity, and ensuring better economic opportunities.
→ The inability to buy food is closely tied to low-income levels, which affect purchasing power, leading to greater vulnerability to food insecurity.
→ Policies targeting food security must consider the social composition and address the structural inequalities that prevent marginalized groups from achieving food security.