Shillong: India is losing its vegetable biodiversity at an alarming rate. Experts warn that market homogenization and land-use changes are wiping out native species. Roughly 24% of wild relatives belonging to 79 major vegetable species now face extinction. These forgotten crops could offer essential climate resilience and nutritional security, yet they remain absent from modern commercial supply chains.
Prabhakar Rao, founder of Hariyalee Seeds, operates a Bengaluru farm where he guards heirloom varieties like the Yerengere white long eggplant. Once a staple for traditional brinjal rice, this variety is now a rarity. Rao struggles to maintain his collection against a tide of hybrid dominance. “People are all eating the same few vegetables, and the loss of vegetable biodiversity has not received a lot of attention. Why would it? Every vegetable that you use at home is available in abundance,” Rao said.
A recent PNAS article identified 1,482 vegetable species, yet researchers believe the actual number is much higher. Many local and wild vegetables remain uncatalogued and are missing from national and international gene banks. Maarten van Zonneveld of the International Potato Center argues that these species need rescue. He warns that failing to utilize this diversity undermines global food security.
Indian vegetable consumption is falling short of health recommendations. While the FAO-World Bank advises 400g per person per day, the average Indian intake sits at only 230g. Meanwhile, 2025 data shows India ranks lowest in productivity among the top five global vegetable producers. Government schemes like Operation Greens prioritized top crops like tomato, onion, and potato, leaving less room for traditional items like tapioca.
Changing consumer habits remains a hurdle. Elizabeth Yorke, co-founder of Edible Issues, notes that market displays prioritize uniform aesthetics, which discourages curiosity about diverse shapes and colors. To combat this, groups like NESFAS in Meghalaya are integrating indigenous foods into school meal programs. They currently serve 26 schools using local produce like red flesh sweet potatoes and Indian pennywort.
Colin Khoury of Crop Trust emphasizes that building a resilient food system requires a two-pronged approach. Markets must create demand for diverse produce while farmers need stable income streams to move away from high-return, monoculture crops. Without these systemic shifts, India risks losing the genetic legacy of its local flora forever.
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