Natural Farming and Sustainable Diets: An Agricultural - Nutritional Interface

Natural Farming and Sustainable Diets: An Agricultural–Nutritional Interface explores the critical interrelationship among agriculture, nutrition, and environmental sustainability in the context of growing challenges such as food insecurity, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, hidden hunger, and the increasing burden of nutrition-related diseases. Natural farming offers a sustainable approach that promotes ecological balance, conserves natural resources, enhances soil fertility, and supports the production of safe and nutritious food. Complementing this approach, sustainable diets encompass not only nutritional adequacy but also environmental sustainability, economic viability, cultural acceptability, and social equity. Through diverse scholarly contributions, this book highlights the role of natural farming in strengthening nutrition security, improving public health, promoting crop diversity, preserving indigenous food systems, and building resilient food supply chains.The chapters in this edited book encompass a broad range of themes, from the conceptual foundations of natural farming and sustainable diets to their implications for nutrition, public health, and sustainable development. The contributions explore critical issues such as nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, micronutrient security, hidden hunger, food safety, soil and gut microbiomes, crop diversity, indigenous food systems, functional nutrition, and the role of traditional crops, millets, pulses, and local knowledge systems in enhancing dietary diversity and nutrition security. The book further addresses maternal, child, and adolescent nutrition, sustainable food supply chains, plant-based protein sustainability, post-harvest management, and innovative strategies to build resilient food systems, while also emphasizing the importance of education, extension services, capacity building, and future pathways for integrating natural farming into sustainable nutrition frameworks.By integrating insights from agriculture, nutrition, food science, public health, and environmental studies, this book offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary perspective on sustainable food systems. It is envisaged that this book will serve as a valuable reference for researchers, academicians, students, policymakers, and practitioners dedicated to advancing sustainable agriculture, promoting healthy dietary practices, and enhancing nutritional well-being for present and future generations.