Sowing Better To Eat Better

Context: Agri-food systems need transformative change for better production, nutrition, environment and life.

Challenges before Indian agri-food system

• Problem of malnutrition: 5^th National Family Health Survey & Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (2016-18) suggest that nutrition-related indicators have worsened in most States.
• New and unprecedented challenges from COVID-19 & climate change threatening economic and ecological sustainability. Vulnerable to disasters and extreme events.
• Difficulties in adoption of new agricultural technologies. Eg. Agri-Ministries apps/information services remains grossly under-utilised.
• High population dependence on agriculture: Agriculture contributes about 16.5% to India’s GDP and employs 42.3% of the workforce (2019-20).

Way Forward: A multi-pronged approach to revamp agri-food systems

• Structural shifts in production: By Improving dietary diversity, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene,
  • Creating kitchen gardens and reducing post-harvest losses.
  • Making safety net programmes more nutrition-sensitive and assisting women empowerment.
  • Enforcement of standards and regulations, improving, nutrition education,
  • Effective use of digital technology.
• Towards sustainable agri-food system which can minimize costs on environment while ensuring food for all.
  • Adapting systems to less food wastages and building more resilient food supply chain.
  • Mainstreaming agrobiodiversity, greening agriculture, promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture and strengthening national food security.
  •  Make agricultural system more diverse with integration of crop-livestock-forestry-fishery systems.