GIULIA WEGNER
How dietary habits can mitigate global warming and prevent new pandemics
OVER THE past year, the world has witnessed an alarming succession of unprecedented environmental disasters. Millions of hectares of forests were incinerated in Amazonia and Australia. Floods, like the one in Venice, submerged entire cities with their historic and cultural heritage. An everincreasing number of cetaceans, turtles and birds died in agony due to the ingestion of plastic. And to cap it all, the global COVID-19 pandemic, which is also a consequence of the way we interact with our planet. In the face of such events, we can feel a rising sense of powerlessness and despondency. We end up thinking: “It’s too late; is there nothing we can do?” As a species, humans are not used to considering ourselves a part of the environmental problem, and even less so, of its solution. Yet, there are actions that each one of us can take to prevent these environmental disasters from becoming the norm.
The past 60 years have been characterised by the increasing frequency of the emergence of new zoonoses, which are infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans. The majority of these zoonoses (about 150 in total) were transmitted by wild animals, among which the most known are: Machupo (1961, Latin America), Ebola (1976, western Africa), HIV (identified in 1981 in USA), Hendra (1994, Australia), Nipah (1998, Malaysia), SARS (2003, China), and most recently COVID-19 (2019, China). This may be partly due to climate change, which alters temperature and rainfall patterns in ways that favour disease carriers like the mosquito. Melting glaciers may also release viruses that have been buried for thousands of years. Yet, the rise in new zoonoses is primarily caused by the way in which we are increasingly pushing into the few remaining pristine ecosystems left on the planet.
MAKING OF EPIDEMICS
When the Amazonian rainforest was burnt to obtain cheap land for cattle ranching; when African territories were cleared to extract timber and minerals (such as coltan used in electronic devices); and, when uncharted landscapes were penetrated to hunt exotic animals and sell their meat, skin, ivory and body parts for presumed medicinal uses—we came in contact with previously isolated populations of wild animals that host hundreds of thousands of viruses and bacteria which we had never been exposed to. These diseases are not new. Some viruses like corona have been on the planet for more than three billion years, but our interactions with them have been only recent.
That explains why the majority of new infectious epidemics are linked to deforestation, which creates new rural landscapes where wild animals and humans come into contact with each other and also facilitates the penetration of illegal hunters in pristine landscapes. Certain species of bats and rodents prosper in human-modified landscapes. Due to their high numbers and tolerant immune system, these animals act as ‘reservoir’ species that asymptomatically host viruses. Once these viruses enter humans, they can prove to be lethal. Many viruses also make use of an ‘intermediate vector’ through which they can evolve and transit from the reservoir species to humans.
For example, insufficiently-cooked meat from wild animals is one of Ebola’s vectors, as the animals probably get infected by eating fruits that were partly consumed by bats that host the virus. The Nipah epidemic in Malaysia broke out when a large intensive pig farm was set up together with fruit orchards at the edge of the forest—the virus was transmitted from bats to pigs through fruits contaminated with the bat’s saliva and urine, and then it transferred from pigs to humans.
Thus, as long as we keep encroaching into the last uncontaminated ecosystems to extract resources, new infectious diseases will keep emerging. As explained by Alanna Shaikh, an expert in global public health, even if all countries in the world are able to develop effective protocols to contain new disease outbreaks—by identifying new viruses as soon as they emerge, immediately treating infected people, sharing all information with global health
HUMANS DO NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM, AND EVEN LESS SO, OF ITS SOLUTION. YET, THERE ARE ACTIONS THAT EACH OF US CAN TAKE TO PREVENT THESE CATASTROPHES
authorities so that other countries can get ready for the potential spread of the virus; and, even if all these precautions are taken—new viral disease outbreaks are inevitable.
As highlighted by David Quammen, author of
the sharing of diseases between animals and humans reminds us of something fundamental: we are animals too and an integral part of nature, and the only way to mitigate the environmental disasters is to learn to accept and respect this basic truth.
The causes of ecosystem disruption are several, but they are all linked to our overconsumption of resources. One form of consumption, in particular, is at the root of both the increasing risk of zoonotic pandemics and global warming—the consumption of animal sourced foods.
Climate change is caused by greenhouse gas emissions. There the four major sources of GHG emissions: electricity and heat production (25 per cent); deforestation, crop cultivation and livestock ranching (24 per cent); industrial production (21 per cent); and, transportation (14 per cent). To curb emissions and mitigate climate change, governments tend to focus on energy and transport sectors, but the global food system, and especially, livestock production, is also the key trigger. Livestock production is responsible for a majority (72-78 per cent) of total agricultural food-related GHG emissions. This is also due to the fact that livestock is the world’s largest user of land and water resources. Agriculture, especially livestock production, with its high requirement of space and feed, is one of the main causes for habitat destruction, bringing us in increasing contact with wild animals which are hosts of many unknown viruses. The expansion of livestock and feed production occurs predominantly in tropical countries.
The risk of new zoonoses is, therefore, concentrated in tropical forests that are characterised by high mammal species diversity and, which are undergoing land conversion into crop and livestock production. Moreover, due to their high density and low genetic diversity, intensive livestock farms can also act as amplifiers for the transmission of new pathogens—as seen with Nipah virus. (GHG)
FOOD FOR SURVIVAL
There is growing consensus among the scientific community that GHG emissions cannot be sufficiently mitigated without a radically-reduced consumption of animal-based foods. The Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food, and the
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of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), assert that the target of keeping global warming well below 2°C will not be met without joint implementation of the following global food system measures: sustainable agricultural intensification; reduced food loss and waste; and, diets low in animal sourced protein. A so-called flexitarian diet consists of consuming large amounts of plant-based foods, modest amounts of animal-based foods and very low amounts of red meat. A global shift to a flexitarian diet has the potential to reduce agricultural foodrelated GHG emissions by 56 per cent, and, to feed more than nine billion people in 2050 in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health (2019) concluded the same. The commission also highlighted how a reduction of animal-based proteins in our diets, along with a reduction of unhealthy products like added sugars and highlyprocessed foods, could help prevent approximately 11 million deaths per year (19-24 per cent of total adult deaths). High consumption of livestock products is, in fact, linked to obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and cancers. Therefore, to reduce GHG emissions and the risk of new epidemics, it is crucial that each one of us begins to start taking the following actions: shift to a flexitarian diet consisting of small quantities of meat, fish, eggs and dairy foods; very limited quantities of red meat; and, purchase sustainably produced food. Environmental disasters hit more violently on those who depend directly on nature for their livelihoods, and those who cannot rely on a welfare state that guarantees them with food and medical care during emergencies such as a famine or an epidemic.
The recent film by Chiwetel Ejiofor compellingly illustrates these issues through the true story of a village in Malawi. In 2001, the village faced a severe food scarcity caused by deforestation and drought. The troubles experienced by citizens of western countries during the two months of domestic confinement seem to fade in comparison to the long months of anguish experienced by a Malawian family fearing that they may not be able to feed themselves and their children, and the break-up of the village’s social fabric. Nonetheless, the COVID-19 epidemic has brought this to the surface: everyone is vulnerable to the consequences of environmental degradation.
MEDICINES CANNOT make us resilient. But our lifestyle can. This wisdom is going to swell the demand for healthier and nutritious foods in this time of COVID-19, which requires us to urgently boost our immune systems and stay healthy. In India, which is a rich basket of nutrient-dense food crops, there has already been a growing demand for natural and organic food products. This is evident from the steep growth in the market share of natural and Ayurveda products of companies and a corresponding alignment to the trend by competing multinational companies. Aspirational consumers are going back to nature and natural products to live healthier and longer. A consumer survey by the World Economic Forum predicts that by 2030 India will no longer be an economy led by those in bottom of the wealth pyramid but by the middleincome class—some 80 per cent of the Indian households will be in middle-income group (from about 50 per cent now) and drive 75 per cent of the consumer spending. Alongside, the government has also launched initiatives like “Eat Right India” and “Smart Food” to enhance the demand for healthier and nutritious foods.
We now need to ensure that these foods are safe, accessible and affordable to all, particularly to the vulnerable sections of society.
Empirical studies indicate that malnutrition contributes to most of the country’s child deaths as well as disability in adults. The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) data further shows that overweight, obesity and even noncommunicable diseases are no longer confined to the adult population. Saving the productive populations of the future requires a serious focus on nutrition.
What could drive such a change, particularly at a time when agricultural intensification through
Green Revolution technologies is depleting water resources, impacting biodiversity, degrading the soil and driving desertification? The impact of climate change on agriculture is also well established. How can public policies ensure the farming of nutritious and safe foods while sustainably managing the natural resources? What could be the pathways to incentivise this food system transformation?
COVID-19 offers a unique opportunity to seize the moment and repurpose policies towards a food system that is resilient as well as sustainable. The growing consumer demand for healthier and nutritious food has to be intensified through awareness programmes, respecting their culture, taste and food preference. Food safety standards, through labelling and incentives, have to be built in government schemes and programmes. Just like Poshan Abhiyaan, Eat Right India movement, Millet Mission and the Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan, relevant activities can be converged to create a mass movement to achieve good nutrition outcomes. Businesses also need to be encouraged to make responsible investments to transform the food systems.
Even though many staple and non-staple food crops are long known to be nutritious and good for the growth of individuals, food and agriculture policies across the world are confined to the “Big3” staples (rice, wheat and maize). In India, for decades the Minimum Support Price and public procurement policies have ignored the diversity of crops and are skewed in favour of rice and wheat. The enhanced production of these food crops might have taken care of the calorie requirements, but has increased the country’s double burden of under-nutrition and micro-nutrient deficiency.
Crops such as sorghum, millets and pulses not only require less water in comparison to rice and wheat, they are also rich in micronutrients and protein. Millets have a low glycemic index, which make them a good alternative staple for managing or preventing diabetes. Its richness in micronutrients can be gauged from the fact that some of them can be natural substitutes to correct micronutrient deficiencies. For example, finger millet has three times more calcium than milk; pearl millet contains the highest amount of folate among cereals; and kodo millet is high in
dietary fibres—three times more than that in wheat or maize and 10 times than that in rice. Likewise, sorghum and millets are gluten-free. Being “good for you, the planet and the farmer”, they are referred to as “smart food”, and are fast becoming the choices of aspiring and healthconscious consumers, particularly in urban areas.
Various kinds of have been the main source of protein intake in India, besides fish and meat. Legumes are also an affordable protein source; however, many are not complete protein as they are low in one of the essential amino acids—methionine. A recent study shows that millets and legumes, when combined, can provide complete protein and highly digestible and power-packed nutrients. The recent growth in production of major pulse crops is, indeed, a significant achievement and the government must sustain this near-self-sufficiency through specific policies and research breakthroughs.
Consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products is also growing in India and this is a good indicator of nutrition-sensitivity of Indian agriculture.
Bio-fortification of food crops is now employed to enrich the nutrient profile of the country. Zinc- and protein-rich rice and maize varieties with highprotein and high vitamin-A have been developed and released by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has also developed and released India’s first bio-fortified sorghum variety, in Maharashtra.
During this time of COVID-19, enhanced investments on research and innovation in this sector could be an effective pathway to boost the health and immune systems of people. Research efforts in major crops, including non-staples, can provide cost-effective and sustainable solutions to address micronutrient deficiencies in the population.
Government programmes like the public distribution system, mid-day meal scheme and integrated child development scheme are the best possible delivery channels to promote healthier and nutritious food in India. A recent study has shown that mid-day-meals served with millet-based products ensured 50 per cent faster growth in children in comparison to those eating the usual rice-based meals.
Interestingly, as often referred to by economists in food and nutrition discourses, Bennett’s law seems to be very much applicable for most Indians now—with their incomes rising, people are eating smaller proportion of starchy staples. It’s the right time to push policies tha t promote nutritious and sustainable food systems and value chains and create adequate demand for healthy, nutritious, qualitative and safe food, through behaviour change.
(Arabinda K Padhee is country director-India, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semiarid Tropics (ICRISAT). Joanna Kane-Potaka is assistant director general (External Relations) and
executive director, Smart Food programme, at ICRISAT. Views expressed are the authors’ own. They
can be reached at a.padhee@cgiar.org)