Down To Earth – Online

Plastics have caused an agricultural mirage in India today. The agrifood system is increasingly becoming dependent on plastics. Agricultural value chains used 12.5 million tonnes of plastic products globally in 2019, reported the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). FAO expressed its pressing concerns about the increasing use of plastics in agriculture. Their report sought attention to the higher amount of microplastics in the soils than in the oceans. Moreover, it also foregrounds the urgent need for improved handling and regulation of the millions of tonnes of microplastics generated through food and other agricultural activities. 

Down To Earth – Online

Agriculture has become a point of focus in the past few years in the context of climate change. This focus is not misplaced, as agricultural activities are responsible for 19-29 per cent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 14 per cent of India’s total GHG emissions.  To sustainably develop our food system, the scientific community, policymakers and civil society have dedicated most attention to production of food, with various interventions like the development of new hybrid varieties, the introduction of water-efficient irrigation systems and switching away from chemical inputs.