Food systems contribute to over one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, making them a major driver of climate change.Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd in over 190 countries, raising awareness about the urgent need to protect our planet from pollution, deforestation, climate change, and the loss of biodiversity. It encourages individuals, communities, and governments to come together and take meaningful action to conserve and safeguard Earth’s natural resources.Throughout human history, food has served as a powerful catalyst for social connection and cultural exchange — a universal language that brings people together. But while our food systems rely on a healthy planet, many current practices, such as monocropping and intensive chemical farming, are damaging the environment. This, in turn, threatens our ability to sustainably grow food for future generations.The world’s population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), meeting this demand will require producing 70 per cent more food. But can we feed a growing population in a way that allows everyone to eat well without harming the planet? The answer is yes — there are sustainable ways to produce food that also nurture and protect the Earth. Regenerative food systemsRegenerative food systems go beyond simply avoiding harm — they aim to actively restore nature and reverse some of the damage done to the planet. Everything is interconnected, from the tiniest soil-enriching microbes to fields, farms, fisheries, and the entire network of people involved in bringing food to our tables. These systems empower farmers to heal the land while continuing to do what they do best: feed people.What does this look like in practice? On land, it includes techniques such as planting cover crops between harvests or growing crops without tilling the soil. These methods help rebuild complex soil biology, prevent erosion, improve nutrient cycling, enhance water retention, and boost microbial activity, all of which contribute to healthier, more resilient, and more productive soil.Healthy soil is the foundation of nutritious food and a thriving environment. Around 95 per cent of our food is grown in soil, making farmers and fertile land essential to global food security. Soils provide plants with vital nutrients of the 18 essential elements required for plant growth while three come from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.Soil fertility refers to the soil’s ability to supply these essential nutrients and maintain the right chemical, physical, and biological conditions for healthy plant and microbial life. However, over the past 70 years, the levels of vitamins and nutrients in our food have significantly declined — a direct consequence of soil degradation and nutrient loss. Poor soil fertility leads to reduced crop yields and, in severe cases, crop failure..Soil health in India: Dr Biswapati Mandal talks about schemes, policies and organic farming at AAD 2025.On the other hand, excessive use of chemical inputs can overload soils with nutrients, which leach into the environment, pollute water bodies, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Degraded and polluted soils put the entire food chain — and the health of the planet — at risk.To secure a better future, agricultural policies must prioritise the nutritional quality and safety of food over mere yield. By supporting farmers in restoring soil health, we can regenerate ecosystems, strengthen food systems, and protect our planet for generations to come..Deficiency in micronutrients in soil linked to health of children and women.While terms like regenerative agriculture may be new, the methods are not. Tribal communities have been using many of these nurturing practices for thousands of years. And that is just a drop in the ocean of possibilities that regenerative agriculture food systems can offer, as they actively embrace the diversity that makes food so much more than eating and growing so much more than producing. Adding diversity in food plateSince the 1990s, around 75 per cent of plant genetic diversity has been lost as farmers replaced their heirloom varieties with genetically uniform, high yielding varieties. Only three major crops such as rice, maize and wheat contribute nearly 60 percent of calories and proteins obtained by humans from plants. Today, 75 per cent of the world’s food is generated from only 12 plants and five animal species. Food supplies have become vulnerable to climate change. Any threat to these few staples or extinction of these species from climate change could be devastating..Over half of global crop production dependent on just 9 crops: FAO.“Embracing crop diversity and rotation in farms is crucial,” said Arabinda Kumar Padhee, principal secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers, Government of Odisha. He emphasised the importance of local landraces of millets, pulses, and cereals, which are not only climate-resilient and nutrient-rich but also beneficial for both farmers and the planet. “Our food choices can influence climate change. It is therefore essential to adopt diets that are both healthy and sourced from food systems that sustain and regenerate the natural environment,” he added. Reducing food wasteFrom farm to fork, nearly one-quarter of all food produced globally for human consumption is wasted, according to the World Resources Institute. Halving global food loss and waste could reduce the environmental impact of food production by up to one-sixth, as reported in Nature..One-fifth of total food produced goes to waste, finds new report.Despite facing widespread food insecurity, India wastes an alarming amount of food. The country ranks 105th out of 127 on the 2024 Global Hunger Index, falling under the “serious” category. Yet, Indian households waste over 68 million tonnes of food each year — accounting for 7 per cent of the global total, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report. India ranks second in the world for household food waste, just behind China.The Government of India could gain valuable insights from successful initiatives in other countries aimed at reducing food waste. For example, Denmark’s Stop Wasting Food movement has made significant strides in this area. Through awareness campaigns, regulations, and stakeholder engagement, Denmark has reduced household food waste by 25 per cent in just five years.Similarly, South Korea’s Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program charges households based on the amount of garbage they dispose of, leading to a 30 per cent reduction in food waste. PAYT has proven to be an effective strategy for promoting waste separation, recycling, and overall waste minimisation..Abhijit Mohanty is a Bhubaneswar-based independent journalistViews expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth