Latest news with #FoodInsecurityExperienceScale
Gulf Today
11-08-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
Amit Gupta, addressing the World's Food Security challenges
Food insecurity in South Asia and the Gulf region has decreased since the COVID-19 pandemic, but is surprisingly still higher than 2015 levels. According to the FAO, the Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU) in India is considered moderate at 12%, but with a population of over 1.4 billion, this translates to a whopping 175 million undernourished individuals. India is not alone facing this challenge, with food insecurity posing a serious risk to many others. Pakistan has, for example, been running a 3-year average of 42% on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). Resolving underlying causes of hunger, including inadequate crop production, pestilence and disease is key to overcoming food insecurity globally. The maintenance of food supply chains is especially crucial for Gulf countries that rely on importing much of their food. Indeed, localized efforts and bottom-up approaches have attained some success in overcoming long-term food insecurity, but success requires corporate ingenuity and often, a reworking of traditional agricultural practices. Amit Gupta of Agrifields DMCC has been an instrumental leader in reshaping and securing such supply chains, supporting long-lasting food security and tackling this challenge in India and beyond. His combination of fertilizer development and personal philanthropy marks him as a noteworthy leader in private sector innovation for sustainability. Amit Gupta is a veteran of the agriculture business, creating an international network for sourcing and delivering fertilizer globally. He founded Agrifields DMCC as much more than a global commodities company, envisioning something bolder: a company that could foster agricultural instruction, health, safety, and rural development. Furthermore, on top of already existing corporate programs, Amit Gupta of Agrifields took another step towards developing the base of rural society, establishing the Agrifields Charitable Foundation as an entity dedicated to supporting sustainability. Gupta's vision has over the years materialized, supporting village transformation, enhancing agricultural education, and the strengthening local healthcare and sanitation services. Fundamentally, addressing food scarcity necessitates revitalizing and educating rural societies, with companies serving as key movers in the effort to find solutions to food insecurity and malnourishment. Indeed, true development means dignifying those at the base of society. In India, nearly 68% of citizens live in rural communities, while across the Gulf, farmers and their produce struggle in the mostly arid regions. Countries on the Arabian Peninsula, for example, import over 80% of their food, relying heavily on strong national finances and consistent international supply chains. Despite ranking highly on the FAO food security metrics, Gulf states are precariously dependent on an intricate web of connections stemming all the way back to farms abroad. Amit Gupta's Agrifields DMCC and Agrifields Foundation have been vital in reshaping the outlook for food security in South Asia, with a global perspective in mind. His vision has spearheaded the integration of corporate know-how with local revitalization, more intimately connecting the disparate ends of food exporters and importers. The mission of Agrifields Foundation, one close to Amit Gupta's own personal mission, pairs well with his interests in space exploration. He said, 'Looking up at the stars reminds you how small you are, but also how much is possible. It helps you think bigger, and that's something the agribusiness world desperately needs — long-term thinking, not short-term extraction.' If the private sector is to make a difference, efforts must be purpose-driven, and business models need to be built on strong, integrated relationships. However, for this to be sustainable in the long term, these actions must be built upon foundations that are both morally accountable and commercially viable, addressing the root causes of food insecurity. Leadership and vision are the frontrunners of future change. With decades invested in global agricultural development, learning from the failures of other industry leaders is possible, allowing impactful industry leaders to chart their path forward with responsible leadership and dedicated ethics. Adversity often inspires innovation, and now is the time when food insecurity demands innovative leadership. Shooting for the stars is not a hyperbolic goal; it's the mindset that holds changemakers to higher standards.
Asia News Network
02-07-2025
- General
- Asia News Network
Over half of Bangladesh's farmland deemed economically unsustainable: survey
DHAKA – More than half of Bangladesh's agricultural land fails to generate optimal economic returns, raising serious concerns about the long-term viability of the country's farming practices, according to a recent survey. The study found that 55.63 percent of agricultural land is classified as economically unsustainable based on farm output value per hectare — a key metric for assessing land productivity. By contrast, 44.37 percent of land meets the criteria for economically productive and sustainable use. Conducted under the Sustainable Agriculture Statistics project by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the survey gathered field-level data from January 20 to March 5, 2025, encompassing both agricultural households and institutional farms. Alarmingly, the report notes that just 1.20 percent of agricultural land has attained the 'desirable' level of sustainability, while 43.17 percent falls within the 'acceptable' category — evaluated across 11 key sustainability indicators. The findings were unveiled at a dissemination event organised by the BBS in the capital yesterday. One of the most pressing issues identified is soil degradation. The survey reveals that 72.75 percent of agricultural land is managed by households where at least half of the land is degraded, posing a major threat to long-term productivity. Conversely, water availability appears to be a relative strength, with a national sustainability rate of 81.66 percent. Most agricultural households reportedly have categorised access to water — a vital input for crop success, particularly in the face of increasing climate variability. However, fertiliser and pesticide management continue to pose significant challenges. Only 56.95 percent of agricultural land is managed by households practising at least two of eight recommended fertiliser strategies, highlighting gaps in awareness, affordability, or access to training. Pesticide practices fare marginally worse, with a sustainability rate of just 51.37 percent, measured by usage types, safety compliance, and mitigation measures. The adoption of agro-biodiversity-supportive practices — such as crop rotation, intercropping, and conservation agriculture — currently stands at a sustainability rate of 71.05 percent, indicating moderate uptake. Meanwhile, the agricultural wage rate — defined as the proportion of land where unskilled labourers earn more than the national average — registers a sustainability rate of 60.12 percent. While this points to progress, labour economists have urged stronger wage parity and enforcement mechanisms. Encouragingly, secure land tenure rights remain a strong point, with a national sustainability rate of 89.35 percent, reflecting robust legal and institutional support for farmers' land use rights. The survey's most promising finding came from the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, which recorded a sustainability rate of 98.82 percent — the highest among all indicators. This suggests significant advancement in reducing hunger and improving food access at the household level.
