Make India’s food system climate-proof without delay

India must urgently make its food system climate-resilient as rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather threaten food production and supply for 1.4 billion people, according to an analysis. While India has transformed from a food-aid dependent nation to a major producer with buffer stocks and legal food entitlements for 800 million people under the National Food Security Act, climate change now poses risks across the entire value chain from yields to storage and transport.

The rice-wheat system that served India well faces groundwater stress and concentration in a few regions. The analysis suggests diversifying procurement across crops and regions, including millets, pulses and oilseeds, to reduce risk and improve nutrition. It also recommends linking weather forecasts with procurement decisions, expanding cold chains, and building climate-resilient storage infrastructure.

Financing the transition requires green bonds, adaptation finance and insurance, with food systems integrated into India's net-zero pathway. The analysis proposes creating a 'climate buffer' combining diversified crops, resilient infrastructure, climate information and insurance, building on the principle of India's traditional buffer stock.