India’s food story is at a crossroads. On one hand, our plates are fuller than ever — supermarkets brimming with options, kitchens stocked with convenience, and policies that ensure fewer people sleep hungry. But behind this apparent success lies a darker truth: the food we trust is quietly betraying us.
From fake paneer rackets in Noida to protein powders laced with chalk and milk diluted with detergent, adulteration has become a silent epidemic. Even those who avoid junk food, smoking, or alcohol are not spared — cancers, autoimmune diseases, and lifestyle disorders are rising at alarming rates. The question is no longer “Are we eating enough?” but “Are we eating safe?”
This shift — from food security to nutrition security — is where the real battle lies. And it’s a battle that cannot be won through packaged promises or calorie counts alone. As wealth strategist Kushal Dev Rathi argues, the answer lies deeper, rooted in the soil itself. His Soil-to-Soul philosophy reframes nutrition as not just a dietary choice but an investment choice — one where owning and developing land secures not just wealth, but wellness.
With that in mind, here are 7 reasons why nutrition security matters more than ever — and why land could be the forgotten nutrition policy India needs.
Fake Food is India’s Silent Epidemic
Just last month, authorities in Noida seized 1,400 kg of fake paneer. And this isn’t an isolated case. FSSAI data shows that 1 in 5 food samples tested in India fail safety standards. From paneer laced with starch to milk diluted with detergents, adulteration is poisoning what we consider daily nutrition.
“Food adulteration is not a one-off scandal — it’s a systemic health risk,” says Kushal Dev Rathi.
Adulteration Goes Beyond Paneer
While paneer tops the list, it’s not alone. FSSAI tests have flagged edible oils mixed with harmful solvents, spices colored with lead chromate, protein powders bulked up with chalk, and even tea dust adulterated with coal tar dye.
What’s more alarming? Even Indians who don’t consume junk, smoke, or drink alcohol are now being diagnosed with autoimmune diseases, cancers, and lifestyle disorders — raising a chilling question: Is the real culprit our “daily food” itself?
The “Uncontrollable Variable” in Daily Life
We can control our habits — but what about what makes it to our kitchen shelves? Every day, we unknowingly consume toxins hidden in the food chain.
This uncontrollable variable — the gap between what’s available and what’s safe — is the true nutrition challenge.
Nutrition Security ≠ Food Security
In India, food security often just means “no one should sleep hungry.” But as PM Modi recently warned, obesity is emerging as one of India’s biggest health challenges — showing that calories alone don’t guarantee health.
Nutrition security must mean:
- What we eat is pure and safe
- What we consume is within our control
- What we pass on to the next generation is sustainable
Land: The Forgotten Nutrition Policy
For Kushal Dev Rathi, the solution goes beyond policing food chains. His philosophy is clear:
“The only way to secure what goes inside your body is to control where it comes from — and that means land.”
Even one acre of land can transform a family’s health:
- Fresh vegetables grown without pesticides
- Pure milk from cows and buffaloes raised naturally
- Safe water harvested and managed sustainably
This is the Soil-to-Soul Strategy — where land becomes both a wealth multiplier and a nutrition protector.
Global & Indian Momentum Toward Food Sovereignty
- Japan leads the world in urban farming — Tokyo alone produces thousands of tons of vegetables annually from rooftop farms.
- Europe incentivizes micro-farms as part of climate and health policy.
- In India, small farm plots near metros are being rediscovered as family health investments, not just financial ones.
India’s organic food market is projected to reach ₹75,000 crore by 2030, proving that the demand for safe, traceable food is exploding.
Wealth Beyond Balance Sheets: The Future is Land + Health
Unlike gold (which stores value but doesn’t feed you) or stocks (which fluctuate), land is the only asset that provides both wealth and wellness.
Rathi frames it powerfully:
“Land is not just buy-and-hold. It’s buy-and-evolve — wealth for the balance sheet and health for the body.”
As India aspires to rise globally, Rathi urges that nutrition must be treated as a national imperative. A nation that cannot trust its food supply cannot trust its future.
✅ Conclusion & CTA
Nutrition security is India’s next big challenge — but also its biggest opportunity. The Soil-to-Soul strategy offers a path where land investment secures not just financial wealth, but the very food on our plates.
👉 Explore more of Kushal Dev Rathi’s insights at kushaldevrathi.com.
👉 Follow him on LinkedIn & Medium for weekly thought leadership.
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