What began as a question about leftovers became a reflection on hunger, caste, and food-based prejudice in India. This essay is a reckoning with what, and who, we erase from our plates.

India’s maize output has more than tripled in two decades, leading in what many dub “Green Revolution 2.0.” Yet this boom raises concerns for food security, traditional crops, and biodiversity. How did a grain once cherished for its flavour and resilience become a industrial produce, and what can we do to reclaim our culinary heritage?

Just nine crops make up two-thirds of global food production —pushing countless native, nutrient-rich, and climate-resilient crops toward extinction. Industrial farming and market demands are erasing biodiversity from our plates. Can we afford to lose the very foods that could save our future?

One-third of global food is wasted—due to excess in wealthy nations and poor infrastructure in others. Traditional Indian kitchens, rooted in zero-waste practices, offer powerful solutions. Reviving these methods alongside modern innovation can help build a sustainable, waste-free food system.