To meet the challenges of growing demand and food insecurity, we need to improve productivity through sustainable agriculture
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach that helps guide actions to transform agri-food systems towards green and climate-resilient practices to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. As per the special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change has affected food security due to global warming, changing precipitation patterns and greater frequency of extreme events thus affecting crop yields and lowering animal growth rates and livestock productivity in developing nations.
With the world population projected to reach 9.1 billion by 2050, the demand for food will grow exponentially, increasing the need for agricultural lands, rangeland for livestock, fertilisers and genetically modified crops. Such an increase will affect the health of the global environment. About 800 million are malnourished, 2 billion adults are overweight or obese, and more than 2 billion suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. Overall, the world has made little progress in providing safe, nutritious, and adequate food for all. Conflict, climate change, extreme weather events and economic slowdowns are the biggest obstacles to progress, especially in regions with high levels of inequality. The gap is widening due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
There is not enough food to feed 10 billion people by 2050. The per capita food supply has increased by more than 30 percent since 1961 to feed a growing world population. The use of nitrogen fertiliser has increased by 800 percent and 100 percent more water is used for irrigation. However, despite this exponential increase, current food production still does not solve the problem of hunger.
Advanced agricultural practices are also threatening the health of the planet. This sector accounts for 16-27 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to freshwater pollution, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. Agriculture and livestock account for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in India (7 percent of global emissions). Food accounts for 26 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and livestock (meat, dairy, eggs) and fisheries account for 31 percent of total food-related emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas produced during fermentation, liquid manure management, and grazing. Crop production produces greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide, which accounts for 27 percent of food emissions. The food supply chain, including harvesting, food processing, packaging and transportation, accounts for 18 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.
In high-income countries, aesthetic preferences and arbitrary sell-by dates cause food losses during the production and post-harvest stages. In contrast, in low-income countries food is lost during processing, distribution, and consumption.
Food waste comes from a variety of sources and varies depending on the local circumstances of each country. In high-income countries, aesthetic preferences and arbitrary sell-by dates cause food losses during the production and post-harvest stages. In contrast, in low-income countries food is lost during processing, distribution, and consumption. Combined with unfavourable climatic conditions, lack of infrastructure, and lack of knowledge about proper food storage and handling leads to food spoilage. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the impact of food waste on natural resources is equivalent to approximately 4.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually. FAO also found that consumption accounts for only 22 percent of total food waste, even though most food is wasted at the consumption stage (37 percent of the total).
The trilemma in global nutrition is that nutrition, health, and the environment are closely intertwined, and choosing one comes at the expense of the other. An 80-percent increase in global diabetes prevalence and an 860-percent increase in nitrogen fertiliser use can be attributed to diet-related health and environmental impacts. Moreover, current dietary trends are responsible for three-quarters of the global disease burden and a sharp increase in the environmental impact of diet-related diseases. The modern western diet is low in healthy foods such as fruits, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds and high in processed red meat, fast food and sugary drinks. Such diets, which are dominated by nutritious foods, are driving change in the agricultural sector, resulting in increased rates of metabolic and nutritional diseases and greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate change increases the risk of food insecurity for the most vulnerable countries and peoples by affecting livelihoods and incomes in rural areas, marine and coastal ecosystems, and terrestrial and inland ecosystems. Food system sustainability can be addressed by adopting sustainable agricultural systems, shifting the focus to sustainable diets, and finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at different levels of the food production supply chain. A Sustainable Food System (SFS) ensures food security and nutrition for all without jeopardising the economic, social, or environmental underpinnings of it.
Food system sustainability can be addressed by adopting sustainable agricultural systems, shifting the focus to sustainable diets, and finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at different levels of the food production supply chain.
Agriculture is a major contributor to climate change and currently accounts for 19-29 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable agriculture or climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices are integrated approaches that bring climate-friendly practices to livestock and crop production. It helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions or increase carbon sequestration. CSA also takes into account the world's growing population and works to ensure food security for all.
A 2016 review found that switching from a western diet to a more sustainable diet can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent and water use by 50 percent. The first step in reducing one’s carbon footprint is to avoid food waste. In landfills, food waste breaks down and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Second, switching from red meat to white meat like seafood or switching to a vegetarian diet can significantly reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. A study in the United Kingdom (UK) found that greenhouse gas emissions (kgCO2e/day) were 7.19 for heavy meat eaters (>= 100 grams of meat per day), 3.81 for vegetarians, and 2.89 for vegans.
Early research into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting food security and food system lockdowns found that the main risks to food and livelihood security are at the household level. The pandemic has exacerbated faults at every step of the food value chain, from production, transportation, and wholesale to retail, consumption, and disposal. It has also had detrimental effects on those involved in the food value system.
Similar impacts from the pandemic and lockdowns have been experienced in the Asia-Pacific region. FAO reports that the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity has increased from 18.4 percent in 2014 to a staggering 25.7 percent in 2020. The increase was most pronounced in South Asia, where the prevalence of food insecurity changed from 37.6 percent in 2019 to 43.8 percent in 2020. The impact of the pandemic on food insecurity and poverty was already visible. More than two-thirds of those surveyed said their lives were severely affected, and one-quarter said they had no food on hand. India employs more than 42 percent of the Indian workforce, so its food system is a big concern. A report based on data available in the AgMarket database found that the prices of food products sold through mandis (local markets) or government-regulated markets, as well as perishable food products, were severely affected. As a result, small farmers whose incomes have plummeted (due to falling prices) have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.The food systems of countries in the Global South are generally more vulnerable to climate-change risks, but have relatively less funding, R&D, and capital. Weak bargaining positions for smallholder farmers, the lack of adequate access to infrastructure, and, most importantly, the lack of strong institutional frameworks to address rural problems are prevalent in most developing countries. This essentially hinders agricultural development in the wake of the looming climate crisis.
Adaptation to climate change means resilience to both water surpluses from floods and heavy rains and water scarcity from droughts. Another strategy is integrated farming systems to increase resilience to climate change. This means that rather than being limited to a single form of production, farms should be designed to integrate different forms, such as crops and livestock, animal husbandry and forestry, and other combinations. The 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit called on the global community to focus on global efforts and contributions to transform food systems. To meet the challenges of growing demand and food insecurity, we need to improve productivity through sustainable agriculture and farmer incomes. Digital transformation is key to driving innovation and adaptation in the agri-food sector. As well as making commitments—at all levels, including local, state, and national—to strengthening the resilience and sustainability of food systems, policymakers should invest in strategies and solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change on food systems.
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Dr. Shoba Suri is a Senior Fellow with ORFs Health Initiative. Shoba is a nutritionist with experience in community and clinical research. She has worked on nutrition, ...
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