The Uttar Pradesh government is set to launch the UP Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprises Ecosystem Strengthening (UP AGREES) project to boost farmers’ income, agricultural productivity, and agri-based industries across the state.

With the blueprint finalized and World Bank support secured, the project is poised for implementation, officials here on Sunday said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently approved the project during a high-level meeting. It will be rolled out in 21 eastern Uttar Pradesh districts and seven Bundelkhand districts. It will be structured into four key components: enhancing agricultural productivity, establishing agro clusters, strengthening digital and financial ecosystems, and focusing on project management, knowledge, and learning.

Experts view this initiative as a significant step towards transforming Uttar Pradesh into a national leader in the agriculture sector.

In a high-level meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, officials revealed that out of the 15,000 lakh hectares of cultivable land globally, India accounts for 1,590.70 lakh hectares. Notably, Uttar Pradesh leads the nation with 165.70 lakh hectares of its 243.2 lakh hectares of total land being cultivable—amounting to 76 percent under cultivation.

Officials highlighted that thanks to CM Yogi’s efforts, state crop productivity has significantly improved over the past seven years. However, productivity needs to be enhanced in the Bundelkhand, Purvanchal, and Vindhya regions.

Western Uttar Pradesh currently contributes 50 per cent to the state’s agricultural output, Eastern Uttar Pradesh accounts for just 28 per cent, and Bundelkhand a mere 5.5 per cent.

To address this disparity, officials presented CM Yogi with a blueprint for the UP AGREES Project, designed to boost agricultural productivity in 21 eastern Uttar Pradesh districts and seven districts of Bundelkhand. Developed with World Bank assistance, the project received CM Yogi’s approval for implementation.

During the meeting, officials informed CM Yogi that the UP AGREES project will benefit farmers, farmer organizations, fish farmers, and agriculture-related MSME units.

The six-year project will involve an investment of 4,000 crore rupees, with the World Bank providing a loan of 2,737 crore rupees and the state government contributing 1,166 crore rupees. The loan repayment period is 35 years, with an interest rate of 1.23 percent and a seven-year moratorium.

The project targets 24 of the 50 districts most vulnerable to climate change, directly benefiting 10 lakh farmers, 30 percent of whom are women. Additionally, 10,000 women producer groups will be integrated into the project, and 500 farmers will be sent abroad to acquire advanced agricultural techniques.

The UP AGREES project will be launched in the following 21 districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh: Shravasti, Bahraich, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Maharajganj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Sant Ravidas Nagar. In Bundelkhand, it will be implemented in Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda, Lalitpur, and Chitrakoot.