The World Bank Group president Ajay Banga has openly praised Uttar Pradesh’s resilient agriculture model as a global benchmark for sustainable farming and climate adaptation. During an event, Banga highlighted the Yogi Adityanath government’s progressive initiatives that integrate climate-tolerant seeds, soil-specific fertilizers, regenerative farming techniques, efficient irrigation systems, and robust crop insurance frameworks. He emphasized that the objective is to ensure that one bad season does not destroy a farmer’s entire livelihood.
Banga described the observed system in Uttar Pradesh as a “working reality,” not just theory. He underscored digital technology as the essential “glue” that binds the entire agricultural ecosystem. Simple AI tools and mobile phones help diagnose crop diseases, suggest fertilizers, provide early weather alerts, and enable secure payments. This technological integration builds farmers’ credit histories, which leads to cheaper loans and greater financial inclusion, creating a beneficial cycle of trust and investment.
During his visit, Banga witnessed local cooperatives and digital platforms working seamlessly to empower farmers. He called the model “proven” and stressed the need for scaling it through coordinated efforts among government, business, and development partners.
Notably, the World Bank and Uttar Pradesh government collaboration led to launching the UP AGRISE project. This initiative aims to technologically and financially strengthen the state’s agricultural system, directly benefiting about one million small and marginal farmers. It offers real-time access to critical data such as weather forecasts, seed varieties, market prices, and insurance details through a digital agriculture ecosystem.
Banga concluded by stating that Uttar Pradesh has evolved beyond just being a state to become a “living model of smart agricultural transformation” that can serve as an example for the world to emulate, protecting and enriching the livelihoods of smallholder farmers
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