Nurturing innovations with a focus on climate adaptation and restoration is critical for building resilience and food security

Soil is a non-renewable resource; its preservation is essential for food security and our sustainable future. An estimated 147 million hectares of land in India is already enduring degradation. 2/3rd of the soil carbon is permanently lost due to the vagaries of unsustainable farming practices and climate. About 58% of the population that relies on farming cannot afford this loss.

Soil health, water resources and energy inputs collectively influence food production, agricultural sustainability, and overall food security. When managed sustainably, the soil-water-energy nexus contributes to developing a resilient and sustainable food system which is environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially equitable.

As climate change-induced extreme weather events become more frequent and unpredictable, the resilience of our food system is tested. Climate change poses significant challenges to agriculture, including changing precipitation patterns, rising temperatures, and increased pest and disease pressures. Climate resilient agriculture aims to address these challenges and build agricultural systems that can withstand and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Smallholder farmers, who constitute a significant portion of the global agricultural workforce, are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Innovation is an indispensable tool in building climate resilience. From developing new technologies and sustainable practices to fostering collaboration and adapting to changing conditions, innovation enables us to confront climate change proactively. However, for actual adoption, innovations must be affordable, accessible and deployment-ready without compromising user experience. This also requires public policy to align innovators' incentives with those of farmers and the state.

At Social Alpha Communities, we focus on deployment pilots and help innovators validate the technology, gather user feedback, mitigate risks, and assess market viability, ultimately increasing the likelihood of a successful and sustainable implementation. Our innovation deployment and market access programs for start-ups are designed to drive faster community adoption and long-term demand generation with the potential to unlock Public Policy incentives where available.

We need more innovations to focus on ecosystem restoration and adaptation. The time is now.

Read more about our work at www.socialalpha.org

- Manoj Kumar, Founder, Social Alpha