Indian Thali in Global Spotlight for Sustainability

Syllabus: Agriculture, Sustainable development

Source: PIB

Context: The WWF’s 2024 Living Planet Report highlights India’s food practices as a model of sustainability. Remarkably, if the world adopted India’s consumption habits, we would only need 0.84 of an Earth by 2050 to sustain global food production.

Key highlights of Global Food System:

• Biodiversity loss: The food system is responsible for habitat loss, with 71% of habitable land used for livestock grazing.

• Food waste: 30-40% of food produced globally is wasted, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

• Nutritional deficiency and obesity: Despite abundant food production, malnutrition and obesity remain major global issues.

• Freshwater depletion: Agriculture uses 70% of global freshwater, leading to declining water levels.

• Overfishing: 37.7% of marine fish stocks are overexploited, threatening marine biodiversity.

• Species extinction: The food system is the main driver of biodiversity loss, endangering 80% of terrestrial bird and mammal species.

Indian Thali and Food Sustainability:

• The traditional Indian thali is a largely plant-based diet, relying on grains, pulses, vegetables, and lentils, which are environmentally sustainable compared to animal-based diets.

• According to the WWF’s 2024 Living Planet Report, if the world followed India’s consumption habits, only 0.84 of an Earth would be required to sustain global food production by 2050.

• The Indian diet helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and conserves natural resources.

Shree Anna (Millet Mission):

• India has positioned millets, also known as “Shree Anna,” as a crucial element of sustainable nutrition.

• The government has promoted millets through initiatives like the National Millet Campaign and the International Year of Millets in 2023.

• Millets are resilient crops that contribute to environmental sustainability and provide high nutritional value, supporting India’s efforts towards food security.

India paving way for sustainable farming:

• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): Focuses on improving climate-resilient farming.

• Organic Farming Initiatives: Programs like Parampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Jaivik-Kheti portal promote organic farming practices.

• Climate-Resilient Agriculture: India has developed over 2,000 crop varieties resistant to climate stress.

• Namami Gange Programme: Integrates sustainable agriculture with efforts to rejuvenate the Ganga River.

• Centre of Excellence for Millets: The Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) in Hyderabad promotes global millet best practices.

Conclusion:

The WWF Living Planet Report 2024 commends India for its holistic and sustainable approach to food production, positioning the nation as a global example for others to follow. As India continues to champion sustainable food practices, it inspires other nations to embrace similar strategies that respect both people and the planet.

Insta Links:

• Ridding-India-of-food-insecurity

• 2024-Living-Planet-Report

1. 1.With reference to ‘Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion’, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC-2016)

• This initiative aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies, and to demonstrate value addition techniques, in an integrated manner, with a cluster approach. Poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers have a larger stake in this scheme. An important objective of the scheme is to encourage farmers of commercial crops to shift to millet cultivation by offering them free kits of critical inputs of nutrients and micro irrigation equipment.

• This initiative aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies, and to demonstrate value addition techniques, in an integrated manner, with a cluster approach.

• Poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers have a larger stake in this scheme.

• An important objective of the scheme is to encourage farmers of commercial crops to shift to millet cultivation by offering them free kits of critical inputs of nutrients and micro irrigation equipment.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 2 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: c)