When we eat, we contribute to climate change. But food is also about livelihoods, about nutrition and about nature. That is the connection we need to make as the world begins to rework the paradigm of agriculture so that it is climate-smart and fit for purpose. What, then, are the elements of an agricultural model for livelihood-nutrition-nature security in our climate-risked world?
First, it must be low input so as to protect farmers from multiple risks. This will put more money in their hands, particularly as high cost of food is unaffordable for most countries. It is also clear that low-input agriculture is not necessarily less productive. The conventional strategy—even that promoted as smart agriculture—depends on high-quality, high-cost inputs that add to the cost of cultivation. The argument is that this will lead to higher yields, which will lift income. But this works only if the costs do not wipe out profits. In the case of smallholder farmers where the economy of scale is absent, this is just not possible.
It is also clear that the way to increase yields is to work on the health of soils and to improve water for irrigation. This is where India’s tradition of harvesting every drop of rain will help improve water availability, which in turn is the biggest input for improved farm productivity. This is when it is clear that climate change will bring new pests for farmers—this makes it all the more important for agriculture to be resilient; but this does not mean more pesticides. It can and must mean changes in farming practices as well as the use of non-chemical alternatives. Resilience is, in essence, the ability to cope and recover, and this means higher returns for farmers. This also means investing in markets that will provide opportunities to farmers to maximise gains.
Second, agriculture has to be built on the principle of risk minimisation. This means promoting multi-cropping systems that will promote biodiversity. This is also why livestock economy is integral—it provides income from different sources, helping to manage risk. Think of it like the diversification of investment portfolios, which bankers would advise you in these times of uncertainty.
Third, is the crop choice. Varieties should be both nutritive and compatible with the local environment. In other words, where water is scarce, farmers should grow crops such as millets that are water prudent. But such choices are not entirely in the hands of the farmer. Governments must enable them through policies on procurement and pricing. For instance, more biodiverse and climate-appropriate millets will be grown by farmers where governments have included them in the schemes for mid-day meals (this is one of India’s most important programmes as it aims to provide hot-cooked food in every school). Change of cropping patterns towards climate-resilience will need this supportive structure. We know now that crop productivity is about soil health, which in turn is measured by the diversity of living organisms—bacteria and fungi—that thrive when crops are diverse.
Fourth, and, perhaps the most critical, is the choice of crops. What farmers grow is in the hands of consumers—us. What we eat—and why—sends signals to them. We know today that food shapes the bacteria in our gut-microbiome. And the health of our gut-microbiome depends on the diversity and quality of food we consume. The human gut, critical for health and well-being, is host to trillions of bacteria, which perform functions that are critical for our body, including food and medicine absorption. This “second brain”—our gut—requires food that does not kill its functioning. In other words, it needs natural, high-fibre food that is diverse so that it builds this bacteria diversity in our gut. It also does not do well with ultra-processed or high-sugar food that kill the good bacteria. So, in this way, the soil health is linked to gut health—the greater the diversity of crops, the healthier the soil, and the more varied the food we eat, the better the effects on human health.
So we must bring back the knowledge of good food—what our grandmothers and mothers cooked in different seasons. This cuisine was crafted, in many ways, for it to be appropriate for nutrition and health. In this way, food can be medicine—for people and for the Planet.