Native Crops Extinction: Why Our Food Future Depends on Biodiversity
Last winter, as seasonal produce returned to markets in Jaipur, India, I noticed an unsettling absence. Despite visiting countless vendors, desi bhutta, the local Indian corn I grew up eating, was nowhere to be found. In its place stood rows of shiny, sweet and standardized American corn.
But what seemed like a small, local loss pointed to a much larger, global phenomenon: the gradual extinction of native crops and the growing homogenization of our food systems.
Humans have historically cultivated over 6,000 plant species for food. Today, just nine crops account for 66% of total global crop production, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
This narrowing of agricultural diversity has profound implications for nutrition, livelihoods and the resilience of global food systems as climate change accelerates. As native crops vanish, so too do the food traditions, ecological adaptations and cultural identities that have sustained societies for millennia.
A global shift to standardization
The push for agricultural standardization, aimed at maximizing yields and streamlining global markets, has systematically eroded the biodiversity that once defined regional food systems.
Crops that evolved over centuries to suit specific local climates are being replaced by a handful of high-yield varieties optimized for industrial farming. This shift has introduced significant vulnerabilities.
Genetically uniform crops are more susceptible to pests, diseases and climatic stresses.
Historical events such as the 1970-1971 Southern Corn Leaf Blight in the United States and Southern California, and more recent crop failures under extreme weather patterns, underline the dangers of such uniformity. Furthermore, many indigenous crops are richer in essential nutrients than their industrial counterparts.
The global micronutrient deficiency crisis that the FAO says affects approximately two billion people is closely linked to the erosion of traditional, nutrient-dense foods.
This loss of biodiversity is unfolding across the world.
In India, once home to more than 100,000 varieties of rice, only a small fraction of these traditional strains survive today.
Native varieties, such as the flood-resistant Kattuyanam rice in Tamil Nadu and the iron-rich black rice of Manipur, are disappearing. With them vanishes agricultural biodiversity and an entire body of indigenous knowledge about soil management, planting seasons, health benefits and climate adaptation.
Similar trends are observed in Mexico, the birthplace of maize, which once had many more heirloom varieties. Native corn, such as blue corn and black corn, central to indigenous culture and diets, have lost a lot of ground to the spread of genetically modified, high-yield maize strains.
To tackle this, the Mexican government planned to phase out genetically modified corn imports by 2024. In February 2025, the country’s lower house of Congress approved a constitutional amendment that bans planting genetically modified corn, signalling a strong stance on agricultural sovereignty.
In parts of Africa, ancient grains such as teff, millet and sorghum, adapted over thousands of years to survive arid conditions, are increasingly overshadowed by water-intensive, globally dominant crops such as wheat and maize.
The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) has warned that safeguarding these native grains is critical for cultural preservation, economic resilience and food security in a changing climate.
“Food is far more than sustenance; it is a vessel of memory and identity.”
The Green Revolution
In India, the Green Revolution, launched in the mid-20th century to combat food insecurity, forever changed agriculture. It introduced high-yield varieties of wheat and rice that dramatically increased food production.
The revolution saved an entire populace from starvation but came at an ecological and cultural cost. Monocultures heavily reliant on chemical fertilizers and pesticides replaced traditional, diverse cropping systems.
Farming became more profitable for some, but many smallholder farmers were pushed into abandoning indigenous crops that had been cultivated sustainably for generations.
The impact of this shift is still being felt today. India’s National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reveals that high percentages of children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition-related issues – 35.5% are stunted, 19.3% are wasted and 32.1% are underweight.
Traditional diets, based on millets, pulses, wild greens and medicinal herbs, could give a more holistic nutritional profile suited to regional needs. As these foods disappear, replaced by high-calorie but nutrient-poor staples, the burden of hidden hunger grows heavy.
Beyond nutrition, the loss of native crops diminishes ecosystems’ resilience. Each indigenous crop supports a complex system of flora and fauna. The disappearance of traditional varieties triggers cascading ecological effects, further destabilizing already fragile environments.
Experts warn that relying on a handful of global crops leaves food systems acutely vulnerable to the unpredictable effects of climate change, from prolonged droughts to new pest outbreaks.
Undoing the damage
Yet, the extinction of native crops is not inevitable. There is growing recognition that agricultural biodiversity must be at the centre of sustainable food strategies. Governments have a role in creating enabling policies that incentivize farmers to cultivate indigenous crops.
Public procurement programmes, such as incorporating millets into school meal schemes, can help restore market demand for traditional foods. Consumer awareness campaigns that highlight the nutritional and environmental benefits of native produce are equally vital.
Research institutions, universities and grassroots organizations must collaborate to document, protect and revive traditional agricultural knowledge that has been marginalized for decades.
Momentum is building at the global level. The United Nations has declared 2021–2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, highlighting the critical role biodiversity restoration, including agricultural biodiversity, plays in building climate resilience.
India, alongside other nations, declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, offering a platform to reposition these ancient grains at the centre of national nutrition and food security discussions.
Food is far more than sustenance; it is a vessel of memory and identity. As climate risks intensify and nutritional challenges deepen, preserving agricultural biodiversity is no longer a matter of heritage alone but a survival imperative.
The disappearance of native crops such as desi bhutta should not be dismissed as a nostalgic lament. It is a warning sign that demands urgent action across policy, markets and communities alike to ensure a sustainable, equitable and resilient food future for generations to come.
This article written by Dipali Khandelwal & Hemlata Chauhan was originally published on World Economic Forum
