The role of food and land use systems in achieving India’s sustainability targets

Abstract The food and land use sector is a major contributor to India’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. On one hand, India committed sustainability targets in the Agriculture, Forestry Other Land Use (AFOLU) sectors, on other, there little clarity whether these objectives can align with national developmental priorities of security environmental protection. This study fills gap by reviewing multiple corridors sustain AFOLU systems through an integrated assessment framework using partial equilibrium modeling. We create three pathways that combine shared socio-economic alternative assumptions diets mitigation strategies. analyze our results key indicators land-use change, GHG emissions, security, water withdrawals agriculture, agricultural trade production diversity. Our findings indicate dietary shift, improved efficiency livestock systems, lower fertilizer use, higher yield sustainable intensification reduce emissions from sectors up 80% 2050. Dietary shifts could help meet EAT-Lancet recommended minimum calorie requirements alongside meeting ambitions. Further, agriculture would half 2050 presence flow protection conclude pointing towards specific strategic policy design changes be essential embark such pathway.