WAR IN THE GULF, REVERBERATION IN THE FIELDS!

In this timely and incisive piece in the Global Agriculture, Dr. Pratap Singh Birthal and Dr. Devesh Roy unpack how the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran threatens to unravel the delicate fertilizer–energy–food security nexus that underpins India's agriculture. Rising energy prices, increased fertilizer costs, and supply chain disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, together bring into focus the scale of India's reliance on imported phosphorus and potassium, and the importance of building greater resilience. The authors chart a compelling path forward, from unlocking India's vast biogas potential and soil-health-based precision farming, to crop diversification and smarter fertilizer subsidies. They argue that while the conflict poses significant challenges, it can also serve as an opportunity to prompt long-overdue reforms and renewed attention to structural issues within the agricultural sector.

Read the full article here.