Scaling this transition would benefit from stronger policy support. Expanding market incentives for farmers to grow low-input, nutritious crops such as pulses and oilseeds would increase adoption and lower costs over time.

At the same time, improving the efficiency of input use remains equally important. The current disruption to fertiliser markets reinforces the need to move from volume-based application to precision-based management.

ICRISAT’s work in Ethiopia demonstrates how targeted fertiliser advisory systems, built on soil data and digital tools, can guide farmers toward more efficient nutrient use. These approaches help maintain productivity while reducing costs and environmental impact.

Precision nutrient management

Scaling precision nutrient management across regions facing fertiliser constraints can significantly reduce overall demand while sustaining yields. This offers an opportunity to produce more with fewer external inputs.

The energy dimension of the crisis is also reshaping agriculture. Rising fuel costs are increasing expenses across irrigation, transport, storage, and processing. ICRISAT’s experience in bioethanol production from sorghum provides one pathway forward.

Through the development of high biomass and high sugar sorghum varieties, and the promotion of sweet sorghum as a viable ethanol feedstock, dryland crops can support both food and energy systems while strengthening farmer incomes.

Sorghum is a climate resilient crop that performs well in dryland conditions and requires relatively low external inputs. It can support food, feed, and energy systems simultaneously, creating opportunities for rural economies while contributing to energy security.

Solar powered irrigation

Complementary approaches such as solar powered irrigation, renewable energy for cold chains, and more efficient rural logistics can further reduce dependence on fossil fuels and strengthen system resilience.

Beyond production, strengthening agro-industrial capacity is equally important. Building up local processing, storage, and value addition for crops like oilseeds can help reduce exposure to external shocks while creating new opportunities for farmers and businesses. Stronger local value chains ensure that gains in production translate into real economic resilience.

Across all these areas, innovation remains central. Work on climate resilient crop varieties, digital advisory systems, and integrated farming approaches offers practical solutions that can be deployed at scale.

These innovations support farmers in managing risk, optimising resources, and adapting to rapidly changing conditions.

Collaboration across countries

Partnerships are equally important. Collaboration across countries, including through platforms such as the ICRISAT Centre of Excellence for South South Cooperation in Agriculture, ISSCA, enables the sharing of knowledge and the scaling of practical solutions. ISSCA provides a platform for advancing cooperation across the Global South. It is designed to address precisely these kinds of challenges, enabling innovations developed in similar agroecological contexts to be adapted and scaled efficiently across regions, particularly in Africa where many countries rely heavily on imported fertilisers and are highly sensitive to price increases.

The current crisis also underscores the importance of data, market monitoring, and early warning systems. Timely information enables governments and farmers to respond proactively to changing conditions, manage risks, and make informed decisions in uncertain environments.

The road ahead

Looking ahead, aligning short term actions with long term strategies is essential. Immediate efforts to stabilise input access and protect farmers must be complemented by medium term investments in diversification and reduced import dependence. Over time, agriculture must evolve toward systems that are less energy intensive, less dependent on external inputs, and more resilient to international shocks.

The global food system is entering a period where geopolitical shocks, climate pressures, and market volatility are increasingly interconnected. Against this backdrop resilience becomes a foundational principle for agricultural development. The science, innovation, and experience developed across semi-arid regions offers a clear pathway forward. By strengthening crop diversity, improving input efficiency, and integrating energy and agriculture, it is possible to build systems that are both productive and resilient.

If we act on what we already know, agriculture, and especially dryland agriculture can move beyond vulnerability and become a source of stability in an increasingly uncertain world.

Dr Himanshu Pathak

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