India feeds them all

India, the country with the largest population, has managed to maintain food security, thanks to seven varieties of bioengineered rice developed in recent years.

While nobody knows for sure exactly how many people live in India, the general consensus is that the population crossed the threshold to 1.5 billion within the last six months. Although birth rates in India, like most of the world, are declining, the sheer size of the population means that it will continue to creep upwards.

With this in mind, agricultural research has focused on improving yields and quality for staples like rice, while also reducing the need for pesticides, chemicals, and environmental resources. And this research has paid off, handsomely.

The first ‘climate smart’ rice varieties were introduced in 2025. By using CRISPR to edit specific genes, yields were boosted by 30% and water consumption reduced. As there were no genes from another organism added, these are not considered genetically modified or GMO. Instead, genes were selectively switched on or off to accentuate desirable traits – bioengineered precision breeding.

Emboldened by this success, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has improved and refined the process, developing special varieties adapted to thrive in specific regions of the country, and to resist disease. Assisted by artificial intelligence, of course.

The results have been spectacular. Not only is India by far the largest exporter of basmati in the world, rice and other staples in the country are more than sufficient to feed the huge population. With hunger eliminated, people are more productive – it’s a virtuous cycle.

As India continues to thrive economically, joining leading nations on the world stage, the Prime Minister can rest assured that their agricultural sector can feed them all.