LUCKNOW: World Bank Group president Ajay Banga on Thursday praised Uttar Pradesh’s resilient agriculture model for small farmers as a global benchmark for sustainable farming and climate adaptation, a govt official said in a statement.Banga also lauded the Yogi Adityanath government’s initiatives to integrate climate-tolerant seeds, soil-specific fertilisers, regenerative farming techniques, efficient irrigation systems, and robust crop insurance frameworks. “The aim is that one bad season should not destroy a farmer’s entire life,” he said.
Speaking at an event, Banga said, “What I saw in Uttar Pradesh is not theory, but a working reality.” He underscored the pivotal role of digital technology as the “glue” binding the entire system. “A simple AI tool or mobile phone can diagnose crop diseases, suggest fertilizers, give early weather alerts, and enable secure payments,” he explained. Such data, he said, builds farmers’ credit history, ensuring cheaper loans and stronger financial inclusion — creating a “virtuous loop” of trust and investment.During his recent visit to Uttar Pradesh, Banga witnessed this ecosystem in action, observing how local cooperatives and digital platforms work seamlessly to empower farmers. “It’s a proven model that must now be scaled. Success depends on coordinated efforts between government, business, and development partners,” he said. Highlighting collaboration between the World Bank and the Uttar Pradesh govt, he mentioned the launch of the UP AGRISE project, designed to technologically and financially strengthen the state’s agricultural system. The initiative aims to directly benefit around one million small and marginal farmers by providing real-time access to information on weather, seeds, markets, and insurance through a digital agriculture ecosystem. Banga concluded that Uttar Pradesh is no longer just a state but a “living model of smart agricultural transformation” that the world can emulate to safeguard and enrich smallholder livelihoods.
