Green Revolution 2.0: Climate action in the food sector

India’s food sector employs millions and is a major contributor to its economy.

- SOUMYA SARKAR

Food processing alone is valued at over $300 billion, reaching hundreds of millions of households daily. Globally, food and agriculture form a multi-trillion-dollar system, spanning farmland, fertilizers, cold chains and retail outlets. Even small shifts in production methods can reshape national emissions and future business costs.

The environmental burden is substantial. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that food systems are responsible for about one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Land-use changes, fertilizer use, livestock and transport all contribute to the planetary burden. Large Indian companies depend on these upstream activities, yet need not always report their emissions. A growing body of analysis argues that firms need a clearer picture of hidden emissions.

The case for deeper accounting is strong, but companies face real obstacles. Measuring farm emissions is difficult because the underlying science is complex. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s land sector guidance spells out the uncertainty in land-based accounting. Soil carbon levels change with weather, soil type and farming practices. Livestock emissions vary with fodder quality and breed. Most tools rely on broad estimates rather than detailed measurements, producing wide ranges of error that make company boards cautious about hard targets.