From Baramati to Jerusalem: Inside the Pawar family’s decades-long Israel connection

The Israeli Consulate in Mumbai on Thursday posted a tribute to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who passed away in a plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday. 

In its tribute, the Israeli Consulate said, "We are saddened by the passing of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, associates, and the people of the state. His years of public service and commitment to governance leave a lasting legacy. Om Shanti." 

But why did the Israeli Consulate post a tribute for the senior leader? Turns out, the Pawar family has had a connection with Israel for more than half a century. 

Rewind the clock to 1970, veteran politician Sharad Pawar's brother Appasaheb Pawar lived in Israel for months to study agro-tech. Back then, the Government of India did not recognise the state of Israel. 

Appasaheb brought their drip irrigation and dry land farming technologies to transform the lives of farmers in Baramati. Drip irrigation proved to be extremely helpful as it distributed water uniformly across large swathes of land without requiring an electric motor.

It also simplified technology, as it does not require traditional filtration systems, making it easier for farmers to maintain and use. Drip irrigation systems are long-lasting as they are designed to last up to 5 years and can be rolled up and reused across seasons.

Other agricultural techniques that were taken from Israel also include building numerous farm ponds and percolation tanks to collect and store rainwater, contour bunding, and creating tied ridges and furrows to maximise water infiltration. 

Sharad Pawar, who later served three terms as Maharashtra chief minister and two as Union Minister, played a pivotal role in building agricultural ties between New Delhi and Jerusalem.

As the MLA, Ajit Pawar also kept the Israel-Baramati connect going and transformed the district into a green district. The deceased deputy CM of Maharashtra promoted the adoption of Israel's micro-irrigation systems, leading to a shift from traditional flood irrigation to water-efficient techniques that cover a majority of the region's cash crops like grapes, sugarcanes, and pomegranates.

Local cooperative sugar mills and dairies were also modernised using advanced technology so that farmers can maximise the benefits of high-efficiency irrigation. Besides this, Ajit 'Dada' Pawar also prioritised water conservation projects, including the construction of percolation tanks. 

Recently, he had approved a budget outlay of ₹438 crore for a closed pipeline distribution project for drought-prone talukas in Baramati.