From Twenty to Bounty: Indian Farmers Harvest Gains From Conserved Traditional Varieties

At the heart of South Asia lies one of the world’s centers of crop diversity. Where 60% is dominated by agriculture, India’s sprawling landscapes nurture a rich variety of many legumes, tubers, vegetables, fruits, and spices. This wealth in crop and genetic resources proves that the farm-to-table sector remains the lifeblood of a largely rural population.

While the Indian government has successfully turned to grains to achieve food sufficiency, the world’s most populous nation is still grappling with interconnected crises of climate change, environmental degradation, and malnutrition—threats that not only undermine India’s agri-food systems but also deny smallholder farmers of equitable access to production resources and market opportunities.