‘UP AGREES’ project to transform agriculture and allied sectors

Lucknow : To rejuvenate the agriculture sector and encourage agriculture-based industries, the state government is set to launch the “Agriculture Development and Rural Entrepreneurship Strengthening (UP-AGREES)” program.

Under this scheme, efforts will be made to increase crop productivity and develop clusters for crops like groundnut, chilli, and green peas, as well as new clusters for related industries to boost exports.

The government plans to send farmers to different countries for training in new technologies and will also provide financial support to the agriculture sector.

This project, initiated with the help of the World Bank, aims to offer comprehensive technical assistance and infrastructure access to farmers, farmer producer organizations (FPOs), and agricultural entrepreneurs.

In an important meeting with World Bank representatives on Monday, the Chief Minister highlighted that Uttar Pradesh, with over 187.70 lakh hectares of agricultural land, is the only state where farming is practiced on 76% of the total available land.

“Whether it’s manpower, availability of pure water, or diverse climatic zones, Uttar Pradesh has every potential to be the powerhouse of the country’s agriculture sector,” he stated.

Highlighting that the state also boasts over 86% of irrigated land, the Chief Minister noted, “In the past 7 years, planned efforts have successfully boosted crop productivity across Uttar Pradesh. However, there is still much work to be done in the Bundelkhand, Purvanchal, and Vindhya regions. Uttar Pradesh benefits from nine agro-climatic zones, and the new project should adopt a strategy that promotes crop production and other agricultural activities tailored to these climatic zones.”

The Chief Minister noted that while Western and Eastern Uttar Pradesh each account for 40% of the state’s population, Western Uttar Pradesh contributes 50% of the state’s agricultural production, whereas Eastern Uttar Pradesh contributes only 28%.

He added, “Bundelkhand, which holds 7% of the state’s population, contributes just 5.5% to agricultural production. Our goal with this project should be to develop the agricultural food system in these regions in a climate-resilient and commercially viable manner.”

He proposed establishing an export hub near Jewar Airport to enhance agricultural exports. The Chief Minister emphasized the need to increase credit flow in agriculture and encourage greater participation of women’s groups in agriculture and food processing.

He also highlighted that the project should focus on developing Centers of Excellence for specific products, strengthening the supply chain, and improving crop quality to meet market standards.

Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh informed the Chief Minister about the project, stating, “As discussed with World Bank representatives, this six-year project, valued at approximately Rs 4000 crore, will directly benefit farmers, farmer groups, fish farmers, and MSME units related to agriculture.”

He explained that the UP AGREES project will be implemented in 21 districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and 7 districts of Bundelkhand. The project will provide direct assistance to 10 lakh farmers, including 30% women farmers, and support over 1 lakh fishermen families.

Additionally, 500 farmers will be taken abroad to learn about advanced agricultural techniques. “The project aims to boost per capita income and the CD ratio in these districts,” he added.

He mentioned that to enhance productivity, necessary investments will be made to ensure the timely availability of high-quality seeds, proper resource development, leveraging the climate system, and improving food security.

Additionally, he outlined that the project will include the development of a comprehensive digital platform for the agriculture sector. Efforts will also be made to improve access to financial resources and help farmers benefit from the carbon market.