New Delhi, Dec. 10 -- India's food sector employs millions and is a major contributor to its economy. Food processing alone is valued at over $300 billion, reaching hundreds of millions of households daily. Globally, food and agriculture form a multi-trillion-dollar system, spanning farmland, fertilizers, cold chains and retail outlets. Even small shifts in production methods can reshape national emissions and future business costs.

The environmental burden is substantial. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that food systems are responsible for about one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Land-use changes, fertilizer use, livestock and transport all contribute to the planetary burden. Large Indian companies depend on ...