Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the UP Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening (UP-AgriJ) project will play a key role in increasing agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes across 28 districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand.
Speaking at a ceremony where multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed under the World Bank-funded project, the Chief Minister said partnerships with Google, ITC, AquaBridge and Network for Humanity would help transform agriculture through climate-resilient farming, digital technology, fisheries, food processing, market access and exports.
“UP-AgriJ is an important initiative to take Uttar Pradesh agriculture from productivity to prosperity and towards the economy of the future,” Adityanath said. He added that the objective was not merely to increase production but to strengthen farmers’ incomes, climate resilience, value addition and rural entrepreneurship simultaneously.
The nearly Rs 4,000-crore project is being implemented in 28 districts—21 in eastern Uttar Pradesh and seven in Bundelkhand—covering 123 development blocks. It aims to cover around six lakh hectares and benefit approximately 10 lakh farmers, 35,000 fish farmers and three lakh women.
The Chief Minister said 1.75 lakh hectares had already been covered during the Kharif 2026 season, while another 1.75 lakh hectares is targeted during the 2026-27 Rabi season for crops including wheat, peas, gram, lentils and mustard.
Adityanath said the project was designed to address long-standing challenges faced by farmers, including high input costs, limited market access and inadequate value addition. “The farmer must not remain merely a producer but become a prosperity partner in modern agriculture and the economy,” he said.
Under the project, scientific and climate-resilient farming practices are being promoted in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) is being tested across 3,000 hectares during the Kharif season. The programme also includes maize, millet, sorghum, pigeon pea, sesame, urad and groundnut alongside paddy.
A major component of UP-AgriJ is the development of an open digital network for agriculture in partnership with Google and Network for Humanity. The proposed system is intended to function as digital public infrastructure, inspired by open-network models such as UPI and ONDC.
The platform could provide farmers access to weather information, market prices, soil-related information, agricultural advisories and agri-tech services through a common interface rather than requiring multiple applications.
The initiative is also expected to enable agri-tech startups and companies to reach farmers through an open network, potentially lowering costs and improving access to services.
The state government is partnering with ITC to develop climate-resilient commodity clusters for paddy and wheat. More than two lakh acres are proposed to be brought under climate-smart agriculture, including zero tillage, DSR, climate-resilient seeds and improved nutrient-management practices.
In Bahraich, a 1,500-acre paddy cluster aligned with DU-compliant and MRL standards has been proposed. The project aims to increase farmers’ per-acre income by 20-30 per cent, reduce urea use by 25 per cent and achieve savings of 25-30 per cent in labour and irrigation costs.
The government is also working with private companies for crops such as paddy, wheat, chilli, maize, green peas and tomatoes to strengthen procurement and market linkages. The project will focus on the entire value chain, including production, collection, storage, processing and marketing.
Fisheries is another major area of intervention. Through its partnership with AquaBridge, the government plans to build a technology-driven aquaculture ecosystem by providing modern technology and training to fish farmers, cooperative societies and entrepreneurs.
The programme will include AI-based aquaculture management, automated feeding technology, training and capacity building.
An integrated aquaculture project is also being developed across 60 acres in Unnao under the IMC industrial corridor. The proposed facility will include a hatchery, feed manufacturing unit, processing facility and dedicated training centre.
The government is further exploring the development of a mega food park and agricultural export centre near Noida International Airport. The initiative is intended to connect Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural production with processing, value addition, logistics and global export markets.
Adityanath said the state’s agricultural strategy was increasingly being shaped by data science, scientific innovation, technology and market intelligence alongside soil and weather conditions.
“Twenty-first century agriculture will be driven not only by soil and weather but also by data science, science and technology and market intelligence,” he said, adding that UP-AgriJ would prepare farmers for this transition.
The Chief Minister said the broader objective was to make Uttar Pradesh a hub for smart agriculture by combining productivity, sustainability and prosperity. Better seeds and technology, climate-smart farming, digital networks, commodity clusters, processing infrastructure, farmer producer organisations and private investment would together create new opportunities for rural entrepreneurship and farmer incomes.
Several senior officials and representatives of partner organisations attended the event, including Labour and Employment Minister Anil Rajbhar, Uttar Pradesh Transformation Commission CEO Manoj Kumar Singh, Agriculture Production Commissioner Deepak Kumar, senior state government officials and representatives of the World Bank, Google, AquaBridge, Network for Humanity and ITC.
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