Chethana V Casiker

Senior Research Fellow at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)

The rise of exotic foods in Bengaluru reflects a global trend in urban diets, driven by accessibility and health awareness. However, this shift poses ecological challenges, as many exotic crops depend on pollinators, which are declining due to environmental factors. Supporting pollinators is crucial to sustain these crops and ensure ecological and economic stability.

Carpenter bee pollinating a hyacinth bean plant. Pic: Sunil G M Bengaluru has been growing rapidly and eating into its rural peripheries. Between 2001 and 2011, the city’s population grew by 42%, with an alarming increase in built-up area. Such drastic changes in land use, along with the intensive use of pesticides in agriculture, have destroyed much of the original habitats of many plants and animals. Reliable, useful journalism needs your support.