India and Israel have strengthened their agricultural cooperation by introducing more Centres of Excellence (CoEs) during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Jerusalem. These CoEs serve as advanced agricultural hubs, integrating modern farming techniques to benefit farmers directly at the grassroots level. Currently, 32 CoEs are operational, with 18 more in development, and the plan is to increase this number to 100 for improved productivity and income for Indian farmers.
These CoEs, a core aspect of the India-Israel partnership, are collaborative efforts between Israeli experts and Indian agricultural institutions. They have successfully implemented Israeli innovations in areas such as drip irrigation, fertigation, protected cultivation, pest management, nursery technology, and water-efficient horticulture, tailored to suit Indian agricultural conditions. Thousands of farmers across various states in India, from Punjab to Karnataka, have been trained in these modern techniques to enhance crop quality and quantity.
During the visit to Israel, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the importance of expanding the reach of these CoEs to the grassroots level through a new initiative called ‘Villages of Excellence’. This initiative aims to integrate Israeli agricultural technologies directly into Indian village ecosystems, offering tailored irrigation systems, satellite-based soil monitoring, and real-time decision support at the community level. This shift signifies a move towards community-level transformation, ensuring that farmers can access and benefit from advanced agricultural practices within their own districts.
The enduring partnership in the agriculture sector between India and Israel has proven mutually beneficial. Indian farmers have gained valuable knowledge on water-saving techniques, yield enhancement, and income generation, while Israel’s precision agricultural systems have significantly reduced water usage by up to 40-60% compared to traditional methods, crucial in water-scarce regions of India. The adoption of Israeli technologies has led to notable improvements in crop yields, with horticulture crops like tomatoes, capsicums, and melons showing increased yields of 20-40% within a few seasons. Additionally, training in post-harvest handling and integrated pest management has reduced losses and increased market value for small-scale farmers in states like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
The collaboration has also benefited Israeli farmers and agritech sectors, as Indian demand has provided a market for Israeli technology firms specializing in Artificial Intelligence-driven crop analytics, sensors, and automated irrigation systems. This partnership has created a mutually advantageous commercial pathway for Israeli technology firms, enhancing the overall agricultural landscape for both countries.
