Context

• India, one of the world’s most biologically diverse nations, sits at a crucial juncture in its agricultural and ecological journey.
• With its landscapes rich in plant and food species, particularly in tribal and rural regions, the country possesses a treasure trove of indigenous knowledge, crop diversity, and sustainable farming traditions.
• However, rapid modernisation, commercialisation of agriculture, and climate change have placed immense pressure on this agrobiodiversity.
• A resurgence in interest, both scientific and governmental, is now attempting to revive neglected crops and traditions, with the goal of building a food system that is nutritionally rich, climate-resilient, and culturally rooted.

The Disappearing Diversity: An Urgent Wake-Up Call

• On a recent trip to Arunachal Pradesh, one can witness firsthand the variety of fresh greens and forest produce that still dominate the diets of indigenous communities like the Nyishi and Apatani.
• These communities possess deep traditional knowledge of the medicinal and nutritional value of local plants.
• Yet, this invaluable knowledge is vanishing fast.
• A senior government official’s warning about the extinction of agrobiodiversity in northeast India reflects a global crisis, species are disappearing at an unprecedented rate, and so is the rich heritage associated with them.
• The loss of traditional knowledge, which is often passed orally through generations, mirrors the extinction of the crops themselves.
• As forests shrink and monoculture expands, we are not only losing plant species but also the cultural fabric that sustained them.

India’s Biodiversity: Rich in Resources, Poor in Use

• Although India constitutes only about 2% of the world’s landmass, it is home to nearly 8% of global biodiversity.
• Recognised as one of the 17 'megadiverse' countries, it contains parts of four global biodiversity hotspots and is a vital centre of food crop diversity.
• Despite this, India’s natural assets are in steady decline, hurting its GDP and threatening sustainable development goals.
• The global dominance of just three crops, rice, wheat, and maize, has come at a high cost.
• These crops, although productive, do not fulfil the diverse nutritional needs of populations.
• Overdependence on them has led to food systems that are more vulnerable to climate disruptions and have contributed to a rise in non-communicable diseases like diabetes and obesity.
• Technological progress in agriculture has not equitably benefited all, and in chasing yield maximization, we have sidelined nutritional and ecological health.

Orphan Crops: From Neglect to Opportunity

• Neglected and Underutilised Species (NUS), often referred to as orphan crops, include small millets, buckwheat, amaranth, yams, tubers, jackfruit, and other indigenous legumes.
• Historically embedded in local traditions, these crops are nutritionally dense and well adapted to diverse climatic conditions.
• Now reframed as opportunity crops, they present immense potential for food and nutrition security in the face of environmental change.
• In Tamil Nadu’s Kolli Hills, for instance, farmers once focused on cultivating millets. Over time, cash crops like cassava and coffee took precedence, leading to a decline in crop diversity.
• However, sustained intervention by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) over the past two decades has reversed this trend.
• Through participatory research and capacity building, local communities, especially women, have not only preserved millet varieties but also improved soil health, diversified farming practices, and increased incomes.

The Way Forward

• Policy and Community Action: Seeds of Revival
  • India has begun to recognise the value of these crops through initiatives like the International Year of Millets and Shree Anna Yojana, which promote production, processing, branding, and export of millets.
  • States like Odisha, through missions like the Odisha Millet Mission, have shown how revival can happen from seed to plate, driven by local communities.
  • Despite this momentum, challenges remain. National efforts have largely focused on mainstream millets like ragi, jowar, and bajra.
  • The next logical step is to integrate a broader range of minor millets into food distribution systems like the Public Distribution System (PDS), ensuring both access and awareness among wider populations.
• A Future Rooted in Ecology and Culture
  • More than 50 years ago, Professor M.S. Swaminathan spoke of an Evergreen Revolution, one that would enhance productivity while maintaining ecological balance.
  • His vision emphasized nutrition security over mere food security, and resilience over chemical intensification.
  • This philosophy remains more relevant than ever.
  • Reintroducing forgotten foods is more than a dietary choice; it is a cultural and ecological imperative.
  • These foods are repositories of tradition, local wisdom, and resilience, all of which are vital in the fight against climate change and malnutrition.
  • Their comeback would represent a restoration of both human dignity and planetary health.
• Science, Biodiversity, and Biohappiness
  • A new interdisciplinary science of biodiversity is emerging globally, one that India is uniquely positioned to lead, given its scientific infrastructure and vast human capital.
  • This science can address multiple national priorities: climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, nutritional well-being, biodiversity conservation, and rural employment.
  • The idea of Biohappiness, as envisioned by M.S. Swaminathan, is about creating well-being through harmony with nature.
  • As India moves toward becoming a global leader in biodiversity-based development, this concept can guide policy, innovation, and grassroots action.

Conclusion

• India stands at a crossroads and one path leads deeper into the industrialised, monoculture-based, ecologically damaging food systems.
• The other leads back, to the fields, forests, and kitchens of its tribal and rural communities, where agrobiodiversity continues to thrive in pockets.
• The choice should be clear. Reviving orphan crops, honouring traditional knowledge, and investing in community-based biodiversity science are not acts of nostalgia, they are acts of visionary resilience.
• For a sustainable, equitable, and nutritious future, India must sow the seeds of diversity today, for people, planet, and generations to come.