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By:

Parashram Patil

14 January 2026 at 8:49:45 pm

Crops of Conflict

As water and climate become instruments of geopolitical leverage, India has an opportunity to turn agricultural resilience into a new form of South-South diplomacy. Climate change is making an old truth harder to ignore: food security is national security. As water becomes scarcer, harvests more erratic and trade policies more protectionist, agriculture is moving from the margins of geopolitics to its centre. Nowhere is this clearer than in Africa, where fragile food systems intersect with...

Crops of Conflict

As water and climate become instruments of geopolitical leverage, India has an opportunity to turn agricultural resilience into a new form of South-South diplomacy. Climate change is making an old truth harder to ignore: food security is national security. As water becomes scarcer, harvests more erratic and trade policies more protectionist, agriculture is moving from the margins of geopolitics to its centre. Nowhere is this clearer than in Africa, where fragile food systems intersect with contested rivers, conflict and disrupted supply chains. For India, this presents not merely a humanitarian challenge but an opportunity to practise a more strategic form of food diplomacy. Clear Warning The Nile basin offers the clearest warning. Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia depend heavily on the river, directly or indirectly, for agriculture and livelihoods. Egypt obtains roughly 90-95 percent of its water from the Nile, with most of its withdrawals going to agriculture. Wheat, rice, maize and cotton are therefore inseparable from the country's water security. Sudan is similarly dependent on the Main Nile and its Blue and White Nile tributaries for crops including sorghum, wheat, cotton and sugarcane. Ethiopia, by contrast, relies much more heavily on rain-fed agriculture, but the Blue Nile remains crucial to its plans for agricultural and economic expansion. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has transformed this already delicate equation. The Blue Nile supplies roughly 85 percent of the Nile's runoff, giving Ethiopia substantial geographical leverage upstream. Egypt and Sudan, downstream and more dependent on the river, have consequently viewed the dam through the prism of food and water security. The dispute has its roots partly in the 1959 agreement that allocated Nile waters between Egypt and Sudan, but the rise of Ethiopia as a major upstream power has altered the political balance. The stakes are enormous. A disruption to water availability is not simply an environmental problem when millions depend on irrigated agriculture. It can affect food prices, livelihoods, migration and political stability. Across the basin, the consequences potentially extend to hundreds of millions of people. The lesson is straightforward: rivers can become geopolitical infrastructure, and crops can become strategic assets. Critical Role This is where India can play a useful role. Its longstanding diplomatic, commercial and maritime links with Africa give it an established platform. Its experience in producing wheat, rice and millets, meanwhile, gives it something more tangible: the ability to contribute to food-supply resilience. Egypt, for instance, remains heavily dependent on imports and is projected to require around 13 million tonnes of wheat imports to bridge its consumption gap. Sudan’s agricultural crisis is still more acute. Conflict and climate stress have sharply reduced cereal production, leaving output well below recent historical averages. India could therefore build food diplomacy around two complementary tracks. The first is supply. Predictable grain arrangements and strategic food buffers could help vulnerable countries absorb shocks in international markets. The second is technology. India's experience with micro-irrigation, precision farming and water-use efficiency offers tools that may help African farmers produce more with less water. The Per Drop More Crop component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana is one example. Drip irrigation, improved canal management, seepage reduction and precision agriculture cannot resolve a dispute over the Nile, but they can reduce the amount of water required to produce a given crop. For this to become a durable strategy, however, India will need to move beyond individual projects. Bilateral agricultural agreements with African countries could be converted into longer-term trade corridors and grain-supply arrangements. Multilateral platforms, including BRICS, could provide mechanisms for greater transparency in food distribution and market stabilisation. Seed exchanges could focus on drought-tolerant millets, biofortified wheat and heat-resistant maize suited to increasingly volatile climates. Indian private enterprise could be brought into this architecture. Agritech startups and Farmer-Producer Organisations could be encouraged to enter African markets through export-linked grants, incubation programmes and risk-sharing mechanisms. EXIM Bank credit lines and export guarantees could reduce the financial risks of deploying solar cold chains, irrigation systems and agricultural technologies in politically volatile markets. Public-private partnerships could also help Indian firms adapt AI-based crop advisory systems and IoT-enabled water sensors to African soils and farming practices. The larger opportunity is strategic. India’s relationship with Africa need not be confined to trade, infrastructure or diplomatic declarations. Agriculture offers a practical form of South-South cooperation in which food, technology and water efficiency reinforce one another. (The writer is a member of Maharashtra Agriculture Price Commission. Views personal.

2,430 Days Later: The Fadnavis Development Story

Writer: Parikshit Dhume
Parikshit Dhume
Jul 13
3 min read

Beyond political longevity, CM Devendra Fadnavis' tenure has been defined by infrastructure expansion, investment-led growth and governance reforms.

With the completion of 2,430 days as Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis has entered an exclusive chapter in the state’s political history. He is now the third longest-serving Chief Minister, behind only Vasantrao Naik and Vilasrao Deshmukh, overtaking the cumulative tenure of Sharad Pawar. In a state known for coalition politics, shifting alliances and political instability, the achievement is significant.


Its importance, however, extends beyond longevity. Across three terms, Fadnavis has pursued a governance model centred on infrastructure, industrial growth, administrative reforms and long-term planning, leaving an imprint on Maharashtra’s development.


Infrastructure Push

Few chief ministers have been associated with as many transformative infrastructure projects. Under Fadnavis, Maharashtra accelerated projects expected to shape its economy for generations.


The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu), India’s longest sea bridge, the Mumbai Coastal Road, Mumbai Metro expansion, Mumbai–Pune Expressway Missing Link, Samruddhi Mahamarg (Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg), Navi Mumbai International Airport and the proposed Vadvan Mega Port together form one of the country’s largest infrastructure pipelines. Although several projects spanned multiple governments, Fadnavis played a key role in conceptualising, expediting approvals, resolving bottlenecks and driving execution.


Rapid urbanisation required major investment in civic infrastructure. Under Fadnavis, metro rail expanded beyond Mumbai to Pune and Nagpur, while cities saw investment in roads, bridges, sewage treatment, water supply, smart mobility and multimodal transport.


Nagpur emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing Tier-II cities through the expansion of MIHAN, Nagpur Metro, logistics hubs and multimodal connectivity, strengthening central India’s role in logistics and manufacturing.


Among the most discussed initiatives was the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan, one of Maharashtra’s largest water conservation programmes, aimed at making thousands of drought-prone villages water secure through watershed development, farm ponds, river rejuvenation and groundwater recharge.


It was complemented by plans for river-linking and regional water-grid projects to address recurring drought in Marathwada and Vidarbha. While experts continue to debate implementation and long-term impact, the programme shifted public policy towards water conservation and climate resilience.


Economic Growth

Maharashtra has retained its position as one of India’s leading investment destinations. During Fadnavis’ tenure, initiatives such as Magnetic Maharashtra projected the state as a preferred global investment hub.


Investments have flowed into automobiles, electric vehicles, semiconductors, defence manufacturing, aerospace, renewable energy, fintech, logistics, artificial intelligence and data centres. Maharashtra contributes nearly 15% of India’s GDP and about one-fourth of its industrial output, reinforcing its status as the country’s economic powerhouse.


Agriculture remained a priority despite recurring climatic challenges. Successive Fadnavis governments introduced farm loan waivers, expanded crop insurance, promoted micro-irrigation and invested in irrigation infrastructure.


While agrarian distress continues across Maharashtra, these measures sought to balance immediate relief with long-term resilience.


Beyond state administration, Fadnavis has positioned Maharashtra on the global investment map. Engagements with foreign governments, sovereign wealth funds, technology firms and multinational corporations strengthened the state's profile as India’s gateway for global capital.


Recent outreach to international lenders for nearly US$100 billion in infrastructure financing reflects Maharashtra’s ambition to fund next-generation transport, energy and urban development.


Governance Reforms

A defining feature of Fadnavis’ administration has been its focus on transparency and technology. Government services were digitised, e-governance expanded, approvals accelerated and procurement systems modernised.


A dedicated "War Room" for monitoring infrastructure projects improved coordination while enabling faster decision-making, becoming a hallmark of the administration’s execution-focused approach.


Maharashtra has witnessed one of independent India’s most dynamic political periods, marked by changing governments and shifting alliances. Throughout, Fadnavis has remained one of the state's most influential political figures.


His return for a third term, administrative continuity and sustained momentum on long-gestation projects have reinforced his reputation as an execution-oriented administrator.


Like every long-serving leader, Fadnavis has attracted both criticism and praise. Opposition parties have questioned environmental clearances, land acquisition, regional equity, agrarian outcomes and political realignments. Supporters argue his governments have demonstrated an unmatched ability to implement large-scale projects while maintaining policy continuity.


Such differing perspectives remain an essential feature of democratic governance.


A Lasting Legacy

As Devendra Fadnavis completes 2,430 days as Chief Minister, his place in Maharashtra’s political history is firmly established. Few leaders have simultaneously influenced the state's infrastructure, investment climate, urban transformation and governance architecture on such a scale.


Through expressways, metro networks, water conservation initiatives and investment policies, his tenure has consistently emphasised long-term development.


History ultimately judges leaders by the institutions they strengthen and the opportunities they create. By that measure, Devendra Fadnavis’ years in office have helped shape a more connected, investment-ready Maharashtra, better positioned to lead India's journey towards becoming a global economic power.


(The writer is a BJP official based in Thane. Views personal.)

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