Indian interstate trade exacerbates nutrient pollution in food production hubs

Abstract

Intensive agricultural practices have powered green revolutions, helping nations attain self-sufficiency. However, these fertilizer-intensive methods and exploitative trade systems have created unsustainable agricultural systems. To probe the environmental consequences on production hubs, we map the fate of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in India’s interstate staple crop trade over the recent decade. The nation’s food bowls, while meeting national food demand, are becoming pollution-rich, sustaining around 50% of the total surplus from trade transfer, accounting for 710 gigagrams of nitrogen per year and 200 gigagrams of phosphorus per year. In combination with water balance analysis, surplus nutrient conversion to a graywater footprint further highlights an aggravated situation in major producer regions facing long-term water deficits. Given India’s role in global food security, identifying the nation’s environmental vulnerability can help in designing appropriate policy interventions for sustainable development.