India: World Bank Approves Two Projects to Improve Learning Outcomes and Increase Farmers’ Incomes Using Digital Solutions – World Bank Group

World Bank Approves Projects in India to Advance Sustainable Development Goals

Project Overview: Fostering Innovation for Education and Agriculture

On November 25, 2025, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved two projects in India with a combined value of $776 million. These initiatives are designed to leverage digital infrastructure to advance key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), benefiting over 6 million people in the states of Punjab and Maharashtra. The projects focus on improving educational outcomes and enhancing climate-resilient agriculture, directly contributing to India’s development vision and the global 2030 Agenda.

Punjab Outcomes-Acceleration in School Education (POISE) Operation

The $286 million POISE program is a targeted intervention to advance SDG 4 (Quality Education) in Punjab. By integrating technology into the education system, the project aims to create inclusive and equitable learning environments for all students.

Key Objectives and SDG Alignment:

• Enhancing Educational Quality (SDG 4): The program will support 1.3 million primary school students, 2.2 million secondary school students, and 592,000 children in early childhood education. It focuses on improving foundational learning, school readiness, and skills development for a successful transition to higher education or the workforce.
• Promoting Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9): POISE will establish digital infrastructure, including computer labs, tablets, and projectors, to foster innovation in learning, particularly in science and mathematics.
• Supporting Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8): By improving the quality of education and skills training, the project prepares students for better employment opportunities, contributing to long-term economic growth.
• Reducing Inequalities (SDG 10): The initiative aims to address systemic challenges and ensure the continuity of education reforms, thereby providing equitable opportunities for all students.

Maharashtra Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture (POCRA) Phase II

The $490 million POCRA Phase II project is designed to boost the incomes and resilience of small and marginal farmers in Maharashtra. This initiative directly addresses multiple SDGs by employing digital technology for sustainable agricultural practices.

Key Objectives and SDG Alignment:

1. No Poverty (SDG 1) & Zero Hunger (SDG 2): The project targets an income increase of 30 percent for over 2 million smallholder farmers, enhancing their livelihoods and contributing to food security through increased crop productivity.
2. Gender Equality (SDG 5): The initiative will specifically benefit 290,000 women farmers, empowering them through improved access to resources and technology.
3. Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6): Precision farming techniques will be adopted to improve water-use efficiency, promoting sustainable water management in agriculture.
4. Climate Action (SDG 13): The core objective is to strengthen climate resilience by implementing practices that mitigate the effects of climate change on agriculture.
5. Life on Land (SDG 15): The project will improve soil health and nutrient management, contributing to the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
6. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9): POCRA Phase II leverages data integration, remote sensing, and AI to create efficient agricultural value chains and faster market access.

Financial Details and Partnership for the Goals (SDG 17)

The approval of these projects underscores a significant partnership between the World Bank and India to achieve the SDGs. The POISE project has a final maturity of 19 years with a five-year grace period, while the POCRA Phase II project has a final maturity of 24 years, including a six-year grace period.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses two World Bank projects in India, one focusing on education and the other on agriculture. Based on the objectives and expected outcomes of these projects, the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are addressed:

• SDG 1: No Poverty – The article explicitly mentions that digital infrastructure can drive poverty reduction and that the agriculture project aims to boost incomes for small and marginal farmers.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger – The Maharashtra project focuses on enhancing crop productivity, improving soil health, and implementing resilient agricultural practices, which are central to achieving food security.
• SDG 4: Quality Education – The Punjab project is entirely dedicated to improving the quality of education, from early childhood to secondary levels, using technology to track learning outcomes and upgrade school infrastructure.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality – The agriculture project in Maharashtra specifically notes that 290,000 women farmers will benefit, thereby promoting their economic empowerment.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Both projects contribute to this goal. The education project prepares students for “better jobs,” and the agriculture project aims to “raise income levels” and improve livelihoods, contributing to economic productivity.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – The article emphasizes the use of “innovative digital solutions,” “digital infrastructure,” “computer labs, tablets and projectors” in schools, and “AI in agriculture value chains,” all of which align with this goal.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – The Maharashtra project is explicitly named the “Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture” and aims to strengthen the resilience of farming practices against climate-related challenges.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the details provided for each project, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education. The article mentions the POISE program will ensure “1.3 million students are enrolled in primary schools, and more than 2.2 million students are enrolled in secondary schools.”
• Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education. The article states that “592,000 students will be supported in early childhood education.”
• Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. The project’s support for “digital infrastructure in schools by setting up computer labs, tablets and projectors” directly relates to upgrading education facilities.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women… The POCRA project aims to “boost incomes for small and marginal farmers” and “raise income levels by 30 percent for smallholder farmers,” including 290,000 women.
• Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices. The project focuses on “Climate Resilient Agriculture,” “improved soil health, nutrient management, and water-use efficiency.”

SDG 1: No Poverty

• Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty. The article’s overarching theme is “poverty reduction,” with the agriculture project directly aiming to “raise income levels by 30 percent for smallholder farmers.”

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• Target 5.a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources… The article specifies that “290,000 are women” among the farmers who will benefit from the project, directly supporting their economic livelihoods.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The POCRA project is designed to “enhance crop productivity and strengthen resilience by adopting digital technology” and “improve climate resilience.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

Indicators for SDG 4 (Quality Education)

• Number of students enrolled in primary education: 1.3 million.
• Number of students enrolled in secondary education: 2.2 million.
• Number of students supported in early childhood education: 592,000.
• Availability of digital infrastructure: The number of schools equipped with computer labs, tablets, and projectors.

Indicators for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)

• Percentage increase in income for smallholder farmers: A target of 30 percent.
• Number of small and marginal farmers benefiting from the project: More than 2 million.
• Adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices: Measured by the number of farmers using precision farming techniques.
• Improvements in resource management: Measured by improvements in soil health and water-use efficiency.

Indicators for SDG 1 (No Poverty)

• Change in income levels for beneficiaries: The targeted 30 percent increase for farmers serves as a direct indicator of poverty reduction for that group.

Indicators for SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

• Number of women farmers benefiting from the project: 290,000.

Indicators for SDG 13 (Climate Action)

• Number of farmers with strengthened climate resilience: The 2 million farmers benefiting from the “Climate Resilient Agriculture” project.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: worldbank.org