World Bank delegation, led by UP Principal Secretary, tours ISARC to examine expansive Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) projects in Uttar Pradesh
In a significant stride towards modernizing agriculture in Uttar Pradesh, a two-day training program was held at the International Rice Research Institute - South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), Varanasi. The event, attended by 70 participants, aimed to familiarize farmers with Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) and Zero Tillage Wheat (ZTW) techniques. These methods, promoted as climate-smart and resource-efficient farming solutions, enhance water efficiency, reduce labor dependency, and improve crop establishment.
The program, which concluded with a strategic interaction session at KVK Varanasi, was part of the UP-AGREES project, a potential game-changer for Uttar Pradesh's agricultural landscape. The World Bank delegation, consisting of Vinayak Ghatate, Shantanu Kumar, and Ajith Radhakrishnan, was present, reiterating the World Bank's commitment to supporting the Government of Uttar Pradesh in its transformational shift in agriculture.
The strategic session focused on identifying scalable strategies, convergence opportunities, and capacity-building approaches to mainstream DSR across the state's diverse agro-ecological zones. Discussions included ISARC Director Dr. Sudhanshu Singh, senior scientists from ISARC, and officials from Uttar Pradesh Diversified Agriculture Support Project (UPDASP). Prof. V. P. Singh and Sunil Kumar were among the UPDASP officials present.
Ghatate from the World Bank emphasized the World Bank's focus on understanding farmers' journeys and building enabling systems. He also highlighted the World Bank's aim to scale DSR through the UP-AGREES project in a practical, inclusive, and farmer-rooted manner.
The visit by Anurag Yadav, Principal Secretary of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, and his delegation to ISARC on May 27, 2025, was aimed at reviewing and strengthening collaborative efforts to scale the adoption of DSR technology in Uttar Pradesh. Yadav addressed the gathering, emphasizing the state government's efforts to accelerate agricultural productivity. Key areas of focus included enhancing seed system readiness, farmer training, policy alignment, and strengthening public-private partnerships to ensure long-term impact.
During the field visit to Paniyara, the delegation observed live demonstrations of Laser Land Levelling (LLL) and DSR cultivation using a multi-crop planter. In Bankat village, the team gained insights into diversified livelihood options in rice-based systems, with farmers practicing integrated farming, including fish farming.
Key initiatives aimed at scaling the adoption of DSR technology in Uttar Pradesh include the promotion of modern agricultural machinery and subsidies, the use of herbicide-tolerant rice varieties, demonstration and evaluation of seeding equipment, and training and capacity building. These initiatives address the financial, technical, and agronomic challenges to scaling DSR technology, aiming to improve water use efficiency, reduce labor dependency, and increase productivity in Uttar Pradesh’s considerable rice growing areas.
This visit sets the stage for a robust action plan to expand sustainable rice cultivation and support Uttar Pradesh's ambitions for climate-smart agriculture and improved water-use efficiency.
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- The World Bank is focusing on education and self-development within environmental science, as evidenced by their commitment to understanding farmers' journeys and building enabling systems for climate-smart agriculture, such as Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) techniques, as part of the UP-AGREES project.
- Political discourse and policy-and-legislation have a significant role in the adoption of DSR technology in Uttar Pradesh, with key areas of focus including policy alignment, public-private partnerships, and accelerating agricultural productivity as emphasized by Anurag Yadav, Principal Secretary of the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
- General news outlets have reported on the strategic partnership between the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the International Rice Research Institute - South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), aiming to mainstream DSR across the state's diverse agro-ecological zones and scale its adoption through various initiatives, such as the promotion of modern agricultural machinery and subsidies, herbicide-tolerant rice varieties, and farmer training programs.
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