Sustainable food production

Today, there is a critical need to address how climate change is reducing agricultural productivity with frequency of extreme weather events. Climate smart agriculture will go a long way towards augmenting food security.

Local agricultural initiatives can strengthen global food systems by shortening farm to fork distances. During Covid 19, people could only buy what was available locally. In the era of extreme natural disasters and climate change, we need a combination of global and local food production systems to create food resilience.

Food and Agriculture Organisation designated 2023 as the International Year of Millets. This was the culminating of a decades long effort by multiple regional organisations to highlight the climate adaptive and nutritional benefits of millets.

However, it is too early to ascertain whether or not these efforts have already transformed global food systems significantly.

Scaling successful models in farming has been tricky because no single solution fits all contexts. For example, farmers in one region may not be able to grow a certain variety of sweet potatoes with the method that may have proven successfully elsewhere.

Methods must be customized based on soil, elevation and many other parameters. Scaling food production sustainably to meet global demands is a defining challenge of our times. The UN projects that over 600 million people worldwide will be facing hunger by 2030.

Regenerative farming is not the only answer to global food insecurity. It can help mitigate damage to ecosystems, but not restore them entirely.

Nature based solutions and adaptations to address the impact of climate change is a must. This approach helps us protect our environment and preserve natural resources. Historically, farmers from a particular area have coordinated and exchanged knowledge. Technological innovations that can mimic this at a macro scale and integrate climate analysis will help deal with climate extremes in the future. To care for our planet and eradicate hunger decisively, we need a sustained commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Empower farming communities with knowledge and tools to tackle climate change with smart and adaptive solutions. Reclaiming ancestral farming can be an important step towards sustainable food systems.