Agricultural Success Is Not Just About Great Yield

The article ‘Yield’ can’t be the sole indicator for agriculture by Abhishek Jain and Anjaly John opines the following: For decades, we've measured agricultural success through a single lens—yield. Like a businessman fixated solely on profits while ignoring sustainability, we've chased higher yields at the cost of our future. But just as business has evolved to embrace triple bottom line thinking, it's time for agriculture to undergo a paradigm shift.

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Imagine a future where we measure farming's success not just by the quantity of food produced, but by the smiles of well-nourished children, the health of our soil, and the preservation of our precious biodiversity. This isn't just an idealistic dream - it's an urgent necessity. When we learn that one-third of our children are stunted and two-thirds are anemic, we realise that maximising yield alone has failed us.

The story from Andhra Pradesh shows us a beautiful alternative—farmers growing sugarcane alongside chilli, eggplant, tomato, and coriander. This isn't just farming; it's an art form that creates a symphony of sustainability, providing year-round income while protecting our natural heritage. These farmers are the true artists of our land, painting a canvas of diversity that feeds both our bodies and our future.

We've lost over 100,000 varieties of rice since the Green Revolution—each variety a unique story, a distinct flavour, a piece of our cultural heritage. But nature teaches us that resilience lies in diversity. Just as a forest with many species survives better than a monoculture plantation, our agricultural future must embrace variety, tradition, and innovation.

The time has come to write a new chapter in our agricultural story—one where success is measured by our ability to nourish people, sustain livelihoods, and protect our planet for future generations. This isn't just about growing food; it's about growing hope, health, and harmony with nature.

Yield’ can’t be the sole indicator for agriculture by Abhishek Jain and Anjaly John. In The Hindu, 16 October 2024.

Let us champion this new paradigm, where every grain we grow enriches not just our plates, but our entire ecosystem. The future of agriculture isn't just about feeding more people - it's about feeding them better, while ensuring that the very soil that nourishes us remains alive for generations to come.

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