Agricultural intensification in the twentieth century has severely affected biodiversity globally (Majumder 2023). However, slowing intensification is inconceivable in the current circumstances. Several studies have highlighted the detrimental effects of agriculture on farmland biodiversity, and that increases in agriculture will have costs for biodiversity. Food production has been the predominant cause of land-use change worldwide, with 80% of forest cover globally being converted to farmlands in recent decades (FAO 2016). Over the past two decades, the world has consistently lost 3–4 million hectares (7.4–9.9 million acres) of tropical forest every year (World Resources Institute 2023). At the current rate, agricultural land use is expected to increase by between 165 and 600 million hectares by 2050 (Global Landscapes Forum 2022), with a projected human population of 9.7 billion in the next two decades and an increase of 70–100% in global food demand (Population Matters 2024).

Loss of biodiversity owing to agriculture is severe, especially in the tropics and subtropics, where 73% of forest cover has been transformed into agricultural land (FAO 2016). Asia has the highest proportion globally of area under agriculture (52%) and the lowest proportion globally of forest cover (19%; FAO 2016). Within Asia, particularly India, 60% of the total geographical area is currently under cultivation, and only 5% of forest is included in the protected area network (Srivathsa et al. 2023). Furthermore, agricultural intensification is imperative in India considering the rapid human growth of its population, which is estimated to reach 1.67 billion by 2030 (Vision 2050 2015, Population Reference Bureau 2019). India stands second worldwide in agricultural production. More than two-thirds of its population directly or indirectly depend on agriculture. India’s food demand is expected to rise to ~400 million tonnes by the year 2050, which requires an agricultural growth rate of 4% per annum (Vision 2050 2015).