Food and water are the essential sources that we need daily for survival. The use of water and land for food and environmental sustainability needs our concern. The demand for food is increasing from year to year and we have fixed land. The resources of fresh water are limited and are used in irrigation. It is a big concern of everyone how we utilize the water and land to meet the food demand in India.
Restoring Landscapes in India
We need to think about the restoring landscape in India for Climate and Communities. The restoration process of the landscape will be helpful for the environment, economy, and society. The people can live with prosperity on this planet with the help of restoration in the future.
There are Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodologies (ROAM) that can be used for the benefit of the ecosystem and people. The ROAM procedures will provide land tenure, livelihood benefits, and social inclusion. We can uncover the diverse potential by using the ROAM procedures. The Sidhi District of Madhya Pradesh is the best part to start ROAM.
The forest landscape needs to be restored. The restoration of forest areas will lead to more rain, and more fresh water and will help tremendously. There are many benefits of Landscape restoration.
- The local communities will get more livelihood opportunities
- It will help in biodiversity conservation
- The wood will be increased and can be used as fuel
- Forest helps in fighting climate change
- Soil erosion will automatically be under controlled
Roadmap for Scaling Trees Outside Forests in India
We should be bound to the forest only. We should think outside the forest and start planting trees outside the forest area. There should be state policies for planting trees or the state can give incentives for planting trees. Tree plantation can be made compulsory, it is called an enabling condition and removing barriers in tree plantation.
Trees can be grown on the farmland will help in water security and also affect the rain cycle. The tree plantation is needed in urban areas too along with other landscapes. There should be policies that enforce the plantation of trees. Trees indirectly affect the land and water that affect the food & environment.
Food Loss and Waste in India: The Knowns and The Unknowns Facts
As per the facts from the report of 2014, the post-harvest losses in India were Rs 926.51 billion. This is a huge amount that is noted for food waste in India. The rank of India is 94th out of 107 countries if we talk about the 2020 Global Hunger Index. If we are thinking about food availability, we need to look after the food wasted by us. Food loss is a big issue that wastes the use of water and use of land. We need strictly some policies that work for the food loss and waste in India.
Urban Blue-Green Conundrum
Urbanization is a peak in India. We have lost a big ecosystem towards the development of more cities. The natural infrastructure is lost in this process of the big city concept. The natural ecosystem is degraded by us and it is shrinking. We are facing the following issues due to urbanization.
- Flood control is not here
- Aquifer replenishment is not here
- Microclimate control is lacking
- Improved air quality is missing
Urbanization in India has an impact on the following.
- Blue cover- the surface water is reducing
- Green cover- vegetation is reduced
- Groundwater- recharge potential is less
Reducing Food Loss and Waste
From the research and facts, it is found that 40% of food is wasted by us. As we know, the water and food resources need attention if we want to survive until 2050. The wastage of food is not acceptable at all. We need to implement Target-Measure-Act Approach to stop food wastage. This approach enables the governments to set the target for food loss and take steps for waste reduction. The govt can implement public and private partnerships to avoid food wastage.
Factors Affecting Food and Environmental Sustainability
Water consumption
Water consumption is increasing day by day as the population of India is growing daily. Agriculture uses 80% of water of the total water consumption in India. It is difficult to reduce water consumption.
Land degradation
We are using various kinds of fertilizer in the agricultural land that deteriorate the condition of the land. If the water is access to the land, in that case also, the crop gets destroyed. We need to stop land degradation.
Groundwater availability
Food production has increased to meet the demand of the increasing population and it directly reduces the groundwater.
Water competition
Water is required in agriculture, industry, the power sector, cities, and for other purposes. There is competition in the consumption of water.
Water management
If we opt for water management schemes like rainwater harvesting, we can achieve the goal of replenishing groundwater and we can preserve our ecosystems
Water use efficiency
Technologies like drip irrigation and soil moisture sensors can help us monitor the use of water in agriculture.
Wastewater management
If we learn to use wastewater and use the process of recycling the wastewater, many problems can be solved in our lives.
FAQ
How much percentage of water is used for agriculture in India?
Agriculture is using 90% of water.
Which crop is the largest consumer of water?
The list of crops that use more water is given below.
- Rice
- Soybeans
- Wheat
- Sugarcane
- Cotton
- Alfalfa
- Pasture