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An international research paper highlights that the global food system is the primary driver of biodiversity loss. However, a shift to a plant-based diet can be a significant principal lever to address this concern. A meatless or dairy-free future seems unimaginable and impossible but it has immense potential to solve the world food crisis.Let’s explore the reasons why the plant-based dietary pattern is the key to a sustainable food strategy.Prevent Animal SlaughterMillions of animals are slaughtered every year for meat. The amount of meat that people consume has tripled in the last 50 years. A vast majority of these animals are raised in industrial factory farms. These farms adopt cruel practices and unhygienic conditions to produce meat quickly and cheaply.A switch to a plant-based diet will reduce the demand for meat and thereby, prevent livestock rearing and slaughter under these conditions. It will make food production more ethical.

The soil stores more amount of carbon than in the atmosphere and all plant biomass due to the biological activity of soil organisms. While soil needs carbon as a source of nutrients for plant growth through mineralization, the excess carbon is also responsible for climate change. The unpredictable climate patterns in turn decrease soil moisture, put intense pressure on irrigation, and worsen the water shortage crisis.However, if we flip the coin, soil as a ‘carbon sink’ also holds immense potential to neutralize the adverse effects (greenhouse emissions) of agriculture on the planet and optimize the carbon balance in the ecosystem. New research highlights that using better farming techniques to store 1% more carbon in about 50% of the world’s agricultural soils would be enough to absorb about 31 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide a year and keep the world within 1.5C of global heating.

USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, India, and China are among the largest commercial producers of Genetically Modified (GM) food in the world. Spain is the top GM food grower in the European Union. Last year, Kenya lifted a decade-long ban on the cultivation and import of GM foods. Recently, Australia approved four GM crops for cultivation. Around 30 countries in the world grow GM foods such as maize/corn, cotton, soybean, pumpkin, squash, canola, onion, brinjal/aubergine, etc. The cultivation and consumption of GM foods is on the rise and this reflects in its market size and potential. The GM food market generated a market value of USD102.8 billion in 2022 and it is expected to reach 188.13 billion in the next 10 years at a CAGR of 6.2%.

A farmer in India deployed a drone to spray micronutrients and get a better yield from his field. Drones are helping farmers in Ghana spray fertilizers, map scarce water resources, and ward off birds. A farmer in Australia is using a drone to plant sunflower seeds on a large scale. These are just a few success stories of drone technology in agriculture. It is not surprising that the demand for these unmanned aerial vehicles is on the rise in the agriculture sector. In fact, the agriculture drone market is expected to reach USD 5.7 billion by 2025. Drones have in-built high-resolution infrared cameras, multi-spectral sensors, and automated real-time data-capture features which can be useful for growers in precision farming. Let’s take a look at various ways drones are revolutionizing agriculture.

Soil is one of the most critical elements of agriculture as it facilitates the movement of nutrients, water, and air in the crops. Unfortunately, issues such as unsustainable human activities, climate change, deforestation, toxic fertilizers, water scarcity and flooding, and loss of organic matter have led to soil degradation in recent years. Statistics reveal that 33% of the soils are already degraded, over 90% could degrade by 2050, and soil erosion can lead to up to 50% loss in crop yields. The soil degradation threat to food security is as real and serious as it can get. Hence, we need a sustainable land management approach in agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is such a holistic approach.

This year, more than 345 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity. Among these people, over 9 lakh are fighting to survive a catastrophic hunger/one step away from famine. When a massive number of people go hungry or lack adequate food, it undoubtedly poses a major threat to humanity. An unfortunate (perhaps, ironic too) side of this situation is food wastage. Did you know that the total food wastage for the edible portion is 1.3 billion tonnes? This food if not wastage could feed a large number of famished people across the globe.