Indian Agri-Tech’s Role in Enhancing Food Security in GCC Countries

By : Shubhda Chaudhary

Page No: 39-58

Abstract
The MENA region is highly vulnerable to climate change, with GCC countries facing unique challenges due to their arid climate and reliance on finite resources. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects a sea level rise of 29–110 cm by 2100, threatening 24% of coastal GDP and 43 port cities, such as Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Bahrain, which could lose up to 15 km of coastline. The EY MENA Climate Change Readiness Index (CCRI) shows that GCC countries have reduced per capita emissions since 2015, driven by net-zero strategies, carbon capture, and renewables, but adaptation and mitigation strategies vary, with political tensions limiting regional cooperation.
India, with 50% of its workforce in agriculture, is equally vulnerable. From 1901–2018, average temperatures rose 0.7°C, altering growing seasons, with the India Meteorological Department reporting 2025’s February as the hottest in 124 years. India’s agritech sector, valued at a $24 billion opportunity with only 1.5% penetration, offers solutions like precision farming, IoT-enabled irrigation, drones, and heat-tolerant varieties. These innovations can enhance GCC’s local food production, reducing import reliance, critical as food security risks escalate. While specific agri-tech collaborations are not extensively documented in current academic discourse, the India-GCC Joint Action Plan 2024-2028 provides a framework for cooperation in emerging technologies, potentially including agri-tech. The two tables in the Appendix show this. These collaborations are crucial for policy-making, informing strategies for climate-smart agriculture, water-efficient technologies, and transboundary cooperation. Policies could promote joint ventures, incentivise investments in agri-tech, and address non-tariff barriers, enhancing food security and sustainable development. India’s agritech innovations offer significant potential to address GCC’s climate change challenges, with collaborations enhancing food security and informing policy. While specific partnerships are emerging, political and environmental complexities require strategic policy frameworks to maximise impact.

Author:
Shubhda Chaudhary, Founder of Middle East Insights Platform, Ph.D. (JNU), M.A. (University of Westminster, UK).
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/IFAJ.2025.20.1.3