Kanpur, January 14, 2026—India, being one of the largest countries in the world, has made significant steps in feeding its large population; however, the challenge of making sure that long-term food security hasn’t stopped growing has become more complicated. At a recent Swastibhavatu Lecture Series hosted by the Kotak School of Sustainability at IIT-Kanpur, economist Prof. Ashok Gulati highlighted that India’s ability to feed its population sustainably depends on the integration of smart policies, innovative products, and modern practices, as well as partnerships across sectors.
Speaking on “Feeding India While Protecting Nature: The Role of Agri-Policies and New Technologies”, Prof. Gulati didn’t fail to mention that while the country has achieved remarkable agricultural productivity over the decades, natural resources like soil, water, and biodiversity are under increasing stress, which poses risks to future output. He stressed that India’s food security cannot rely only on past achievements but requires proactive and more of a forward-looking strategy.
According to Gulati, the future of Indian agriculture rests on four interconnected pillars. These pillars include policies, products, practices, and partnerships. Each of these is very important to make sure there is enough food production while maintaining environmental sustainability.
Policies must improve beyond traditional price support and subsidy schemes. While initiatives like the National Food Security Act sponsor food to millions of people, experts say the focus should also include environmental sustainability and nutritional security, as well as resource efficiency. Forward-looking policies can help balance food availability along with ecological protection.
Products, including types of improved crops and nutrient-rich foods, as well as value-added agricultural products, are equally important. Innovations such as climate-resilient seeds and biofarming crops can branch out diets beyond the usual staples like rice and wheat, addressing both caloric and nutritional needs across both urban and rural populations.
Practice in agriculture is undergoing transformation through technology. Precision watering, drones, smart sensors, and even crop protection tools are improving resource use while also reducing environmental impact. Gulati stated that for widespread adoption, these innovations must be affordable as well as friendly to farmers, making sure that practical benefits reach fields throughout the nation.
The partnerships between governments, research institutions, the private sector, and the farming communities are essential to scale innovations and share knowledge. Efforts in collaboration, including international programs under frameworks like BRICS agricultural cooperation, can hasten research and transfer of technology, improving resilience and efficiency across India’s food system.
A major theme of the lecture was the need to harmonize agricultural productivity with ecological protection. India’s successes in increasing yields have often come at the cost of soil degradation, water stress, and biodiversity loss. Gulati deeply encouraged that sustainability be integrated at every stage of food production, from farm to fork. Practices such as crop rotation, water-efficient irrigation, and regenerative agriculture can maintain productivity while preserving natural resources.
Institutions like IIT-Kanpur play an important role in connecting research with practice. By developing locally relevant solutions and training future leaders, universities can help in making sure innovations in agriculture reach farmers and contribute to national food security objectives. The interactive sessions during the lecture series illustrated the importance of knowledge exchange among students, academics, and practitioners.
India, also being a Commonwealth country, stands at a crossroads in its food security journey. This large country is home to 1.46 billion people, which is one-sixth of the global population. With its diverse agro-ecological zones and a growing population, the country needs to make strategies that are both productive and sustainable. By combining smart policies, technological innovations, sustainable practices, and collaborative partnerships, India can continue to secure its needed amount of nutritious food for its citizens while protecting the environment for generations to come in the future.
