Slashing forests for cultivation leaves hardly any scope for regeneration of forest wealth. It is a surefire recipe for disaster as depletion of forest cover depletes groundwater table thereby degrading land with pollutants like fertilisers, fossil fuel caked soil, with no regard for agricultural rest and no commitments to replenish soil fertility... commercialised agriculture is plunging humanity into a land crisis where land fertility is degraded to negative values and triggering anthropogenic desertification.
There is an urgent need to stop utilisation of chemical and fossil fuel based fertilisers. Monoculture plantations are detrimental to soil health. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the inauguration of the High Level segment at UNCCD's COP 14 in Noida on 9th September 2019 that soil health cards are being given to Indian farmers from this financial year on. But holistic restoration of soil nutrition calls for water table replenishment. From harnessing wind energy to restoration of soil nutrition, crop rotation to ground water replenishment, awareness of environmental / sustainable best practices calls for inclusive development like education for all, mitigating malnutrition, universal access to health, education, universal hygiene and solid waste management, water security, food security and livelihood security. This calls for robust inclusive interventions with scientific temper, political will, passionate activism at grass root level and transparent governance.
Food security at the cost of soil and land degradation is like ruining the very resource that gives us food: Land.
Sustainable food security inclusive of conservation of land, green cover and water resources is the sustainable way to go.
Subsistence farming and agricultural rest are imperative for sustainable food and crop security. Legumes can fix nitrogen in the soil ... a traditional method of agriculture that manifests as climate neutral agriculture. Climate Neutral Agriculture finds resonance in traditional wisdom.
Tropical agricultural diversity offers not just balanced nutrition and sustainable agriculture but upticks all the boxes of climate neutral agricultural interventions for food, water and livelihood security.
Agricultural rest, the cornerstone of subsistence farming is best manifest in nitrogen fixing legume cultivation.
Legume as a cultivar eases methane emissions from livestock and commercial farming sectors of agriculture because legumes fix nitrogen emissions in the soil.
The value of plant protein neutralises methane emissions.
Leguminous fodder makes ideal green manure... perfect for sustainable climate neutral agriculture because they fix nitrogen in the soil through root nodules... paves the way for rotation of crops... crop rotation and subsistence farming are traditional sustainable ways of livelihood and food security. But it is not compatible to commercial agriculture. With all the modern day technology and an educated populace - today's modern urban society - has forgotten and is unable to recall the best practices of sustainable subsistence farming. Indeed agricultural rest or subsistence farming holds the key to climate neutral agriculture.
Plant protein is less hazardous than animal protein in so many ways... Cost of production (consumes less fodder and water) is lower than raising livestock; while plant protein fixes nitrogen in the soil, livestock based protein emits methane into the atmosphere; and plant protein is less carcinogenic than meat according to current medical research.
The sheer variety of grains and pulses that obtain from agro-diversity of the subcontinent - by itself should solve food security deficit, much before fixing climate concerns!
Agrometeorological wisdom prescribes traditional cooking recipes in a way that balances nutrition against seasons - for food and water security and good health.
Protein diversity!
Seasonal lentils are best consumed in the season they yield in. Problems of costs for storage, market access, transport are avoided in one mouthful!
Traditional wisdom in certain oriental societies advocate consumption and abstinence (from consumption) to balance nutrition as well as crop rotation. Traditional wisdom apparently defers to soil conservation too.
According to traditional wisdom lentils or plant protein have to be mixed and matched with certain vegetables to reduce effects such as bloating, flatulence, gastritis or indigestion etc.
Abstinence from consumption of plant protein in monsoon months (according to traditional wisdom) defers to reduced sunshine - meaning lethargic digestion during monsoon.
The sheer diversity of plant protein in the Tropics caters to multicultural palate and culture sensitive food security.
Exporting food crops / cereal makes great agricultural trade not so much food security. The flip side of food security - if there is such a thing - has manifested as Diabetes milletus on epidemic proportions in the Emerging nations of the South.
The chlorophyll casing of plant protein also makes a vitamin supplement and balances the chemical equation of plant proteins.
Mixing of certain lentils for certain dishes are permitted not any or every lentil. It finds resonance in agrometeorological wisdom.
Leaf litter or peat also emits CO. Organic peat emissions are best used to refill mine pits as mulch... to prevent peat emissions.
Pollen - a great source of protein / legume are used in fine dining cuisine in the subcontinent.
Tropical agro-diversity does not need food processing. The agro-diversity itself is a rich melange.
Native nutrition is the key to food security.
Chickpea lends food security in so many ways ...👇
Thyme and cumin seeds flavoured Hummus with fresh Basil.
Mediterranean cuisine
Traditional Mediterranean plain Hummus. Makes an any time healthy snack.
Hummus ... so colourful and healthy!
Makes a full meal with raw and green vegetables.
Beetroot sure lends colour to Hummus!
For those with an incurable sweet tooth hummus can be flavoured sweet too!
Traditional wisdom also prescribes the amount of different lentils / plant protein and for which time of the day / year / month as compensation for a particular type of human activity. This wisdom was unfortunately extrapolated to attribute racist overtures to human diversity.
Chikpea is used for Hummus in the Mediterranean Rim but in South Asia they make for some really delicious side dish for daily bread! Agrometeorological wisdom!
A fistful makes the ideal portion according to traditional agrometeorological wisdom
The variety ideal for Mediterranean cuisine ... especially Hummus.
American sweetcorn has invaded the markets. It has almost banished the native varieties of corn. However American sweet corn cannot be used in traditional cuisine as it is good only for eating as a snack on it own.
Farm bred varieties of tomatoes have skewed agricultural prices of native varieties. Imported varieties need heavy inputs like fertilisers making them climate detrimental and also increased its price. he native variety is almost eliminated.
Cash crops like coffee have to be climate neutral for the sake of its own sustainability and for future generations.
Lentil diversity samples in themselves offer food security.
Makes a great between meal snack sa well sa balances nutrition.
 |
| Green peas a very popular fresh vegetable lentil adds great taste and fibre to a whole variety of vegetarian dishes. |
Commercialising agriculture is the root of many an environmental problem facing humanity today. Food security, experts would argue... but sustainable agriculture in deference to traditional agro meteorology is increasingly found to be the answer, researchers aver.
Agricultural export - the very manifestation of commercialising agriculture is the root cause of surplus emissions today.
Hi in protein, it is necessary to limit intake of rich sources of protein - to a cup of it.
Floriculture bereft of chemical inputs can be sustainable.
Protein intake has to be supplemented by equal amounts of vitamins, minerals
Peanuts with honey... a delicacy in the Orient is another manifestation of food security - even among wildlife - Sloth bears in India are know to trek for miles to mix jackfruit (seeds and all) with honey before smacking it off their talons!
Diabetics beware of the amount of protein you consume.
Sunflower field the very epitome of commercialising agriculture will be better off in sustainable subsistence farming.
Chemical bereft floriculture is the need of the hour for climate neutral agriculture.
Birds feed exhaustively on seeds and nuts. Protecting the habitat for them by conserving seed bearing and nut growing trees is Man's responsibility in the day and age of Climate Change. Besides, mulch and peat also emit CO. Neutralising land degradation implies deferring to geological subduction process that churns top soil against tectonic edges in a long drawn out cycle that brings minerals in the lava to the top soil and vice versa. If only Man stick's to inviolate and non invasive conservation of the environment Nature's cycles will sustain our future.
Dichotyledenous plant protein has healthy complex fats, dietary fibre, vitamins, complex carbohydrates, and minerals. A 100 gram portion of such valuable source of preotein takes care of one whole day's nutrition for an average person.
Indian Dals! Ummmmmm! They are a delicacy the world over. Just the sight of it is enough to make an Indian traveler homesick.
Indian agrometeorological / traditional wisdom prescribes ways of maintaining shelf value of lentils by soaking them in vegetable oil, ... for instance.
Oriental cuisine has thousands of recipes only for lentil soup!
Vegetarians cannot skip lentils in their daily diet in India.
Lentils and plant protein are tropical crops.
The energy quotient of lentils justify food security. Its adaptability justifies culture sensitive food security too. Thus lentil cultivation can wholly dispense with fertilisers based commercial agriculture.
Lentils and vegetables together make one complete meal. No need for other cereals like rice or wheat or millets at all!
Subsistence farming in vegetable cultivars have to be climate neutral.
Food processing industry is known for farces like reducing fat in protein!
It is impotant to grow crops that are best suited to a climate zone, and consumed there and then. That is exactly what traditional agrometeorological wisdom advocates. It mitigates greenhouse gas emissions from commercial agriculture too.
Rainfed agriculture needs infrastructure like irrigation which is not polluting. Subsistence farming, agricultural rest, rotation of crops are all the benchmarks of rainfed non commercial farming.... climate neutral agriculture.
It is commercial farming that is the bane of climate insensitive agriculture.
Commercial farming includes tractors, optimising crop yield, with fossil fuel based fertilisers, commercial cropping, global market access for agricultural trade ... all of which are utterly unsustainable adding to cost of production and CO emissions at every stage of production.
Commercialising any crop is detrimental to soil health.
Restoration of soil nutrition takes care of crop yield.
Commercially branding life forms is the fall out of World Trade Organisation ... unsustainable climate detrimental agriculture!
Sunflower ... the face of commercial agriculture has rendered infertile the crop lands they are grown on. The land becomes unfit for any other crop.
Vineyards can be sustainable through subsistence farming. Even if wine making is considered "processing" at a subsistence farming level its sustainability is proven.
Plant protein is an excellent supplement to lentils that these French beans encase.
Commercialising agriculture, contrary to popular belief does not offer livelihood security, rather it threatens it.
Comments
Post a Comment