Agriculture & Food Security
Agriculture has always been the main source of livelihood in India, forming the backbone of its civilization and reflecting a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. Ancient India’s agrarian wisdom was rooted in seed diversity, soil health, water conservation and seasonal alignment, ensuring ecological balance and food sufficiency. Today, with finite land, growing population and changing climate, agricultural land faces competing demands from industry, housing, infrastructure etc. This calls for a rethinking of production models that can ensure long-term food security. There is a need to revive our traditional ecological knowledge in terms of soil restoration, water harvesting, mixed cropping and region-specific food systems and integrate it with modern science and technology.
Bharat Ki Soch envisions an agricultural framework that is ecologically resilient, economically viable and culturally grounded where productivity is balanced with sustainability, biodiversity is preserved and each region builds on its natural strengths to ensure enduring food security.
Objectives
Building Food Security through Agro-Ecological Resilience
Study ancient Indian agricultural texts and practices on intercropping, mixed farming and crop rotation to understand how ancient practices sustained soil fertility, biodiversity and long-term productivity.
Document indigenous seed varieties and legacy crops known for their resilience, nutritional value and adaptability to diverse agro-climatic conditions.
Analyse how regional food systems contributed to ecological stability, climate resilience and community nutrition.
Apply Traditional Wisdom to Contemporary Climate Change Challenges
Study ancient responses to droughts, heat and soil depletion to identify adaptive strategies relevant to current climate hotspots.
Explore the role of traditional hydrogeology, water harvesting and cropping cycles in managing rainfall variability and resource stress.
Evaluate how heritage knowledge of heat-tolerant and water-efficient crops can inform modern climate adaptation frameworks.
Examine ancient soil restoration, water harvesting and community-based watershed management techniques to identify scalable and locally adapted resilience models.
Rebuild the Link between Agro-Ecology, Livelihoods and Markets
Study ancient models where agriculture, livestock and forestry functioned as integrated systems sustaining both ecology and economy.
Identify ways to align regional production with local consumption, ensuring that the right crops are grown in the right places to maximise productivity, value and sustainability.