India has a sizable vegetarian population and has a huge history of vegetarian diets. The Indian population has sustainable eating habits which offers a small sign of hope to address the heightened ecological concerns, as per a report by GlobalData. Sustainable eating habits includes practices such as minimizing food waste, prioritizing plant-based diets, and consuming locally sourced foods.
Per a recent Living Planet Report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), India’s traditional, climate friendly dietary habits have been identified as a global blueprint for sustainable living. The report highlighted India’s food consumption patterns as the most climate friendly among G20 nations. It also mentioned that the world would need 0.84 per cent of the earth to support food production by 2050+, if all the countries follow the Indian food consumption pattern of India.
Shravani Mali, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “In recent years, India has observed an intensified vegan movement, especially in metropolitan cities. The country’s current food consumption practices, emphasizing plant-based diets and climate-resilient crops such as millets, require fewer resources and generate lower emissions compared to meat-heavy diets. This transition is also connected to a wider focus on sustainability. Underlining this trend, 79 per cent of Indian respondents in GlobalData’s recent consumer survey stated that the sustainable/environmentally friendly feature is essential/nice to have when deciding to make a food and drinks purchase.”
Mali further said, “Traditional Indian diets primarily consist of lentils, grains, and vegetables. For instance, “Thali” is a meal that includes a combination of various food groups and shows a strong connection to the country’s land and history. These traditional diets, which place an emphasis on seasonal and local produce, are becoming more popular as environmental issues gain more attention.”
Deepak Nautiyal, Consumer and Retail Commercial Director, APAC and Middle East at GlobalData, said, “The Indian government has introduced several initiatives to promote environmentally sustainable practices in the country.”
For instance, the government launched schemes such as the National Millet Campaign and the International Year of Millets (2023) to enhance the production and consumption of millets since it is an environmentally sustainable source of food and nutrition. In addition to this, the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) aims to improve climate-resilient farming.
Furthermore, in the southern part of India, Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) has illustrated the socioeconomic advantages of sustainable food production. The positive impact of these food practices as a sustainability model can be seen in India.
In the concluding remarks, Shravani Mali mentioned that through adoption of climate friendly diets, individuals can make a significant impact on the environment. “Adopting Indian sustainable eating habits worldwide offers a clear path to address critical environmental and health challenges. With the food system being one of major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, shifting towards plant-based diets, as exemplified by Indian cuisine, could reduce emissions significantly, creating a more sustainable future for generations to come,” she said.
From: financialexpress
Financial News