World Bank and Asian Development Bank join forces for a resilient recovery in South Asia

As a response to COVID-19, the World Bank Group and the Asian Development Bank are coordinating more than $15.4 billion in wide-ranging lending programs in South Asia.

Hartwig Schafer, Shixin Chen |
Agriculture and Food, Digital Development, Health, Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management, Social Protection

2020 year in review: Top 10 blogs from South Asia

These are some of the most pressing development priorities in South Asia and the topics for our most popular blogs in 2020.

Trishna Thapa |
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management, Education, Gender, Health, Poverty, Social Protection, Trade, Water

As water flows more freely, Sindh’s farmers in Pakistan reap better crops

Find out how the World Bank's Pakistan Sindh Water Sector Improvement Project has been a game changer.

Toru Konishi |
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Poverty, Social Protection, Water

Protecting South Asia’s poor and vulnerable against COVID-19

As South Asian countries intensify the fight against COVID-19, it is imperative that social protection programs, including cash transfers, food vouchers, unemployment benefits, pensions, wage…

Lynne Sherburne-Benz, Stefano Paternostro, Zaineb Majoka |
Agriculture and Food, Health, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Jobs & Development, Poverty, Social Protection

Modernizing Punjab’s farming to benefit farmers and consumers

The Punjab Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority Act 2020 (PAMRA Act) is transforming a century old law. It comes at a time when COVID-19 is disrupting socio economic activities. The PAMRA…

Guo Li, Willem Janssen |
Agriculture and Food, Competitiveness, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Poverty

Ensuring food security and nutrition in South Asia during COVID-19

As we address pandemic-related food security in the region, this is a good time to revisit important lessons learned from the South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative.

Cecile Fruman, Yinan Zhang |
Agriculture and Food, Health, Nutrition, Poverty

A path toward greater prosperity for Bhutan’s farmers

Sustainable agriculture has the potential to ensure higher and more inclusive growth, reduce Bhutan’s food imports, and help combat malnutrition, which affects children under the age of five…

Tenzin Lhaden |
Agriculture and Food, Competitiveness, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Poverty

Lessons I’ve learned from 30 years at the World Bank

World Bank South Asia Vice President Hartwig Schafer reflects on his three decades at the World Bank and the lessons learned that make a difference.

Hartwig Schafer |
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Competitiveness, Debt, Digital Development, Disaster Risk Management, Education, Energy, Environment, Extractive Industries, Financial Inclusion, Financial Sector, Forests, Fragility Conflict and Violence, Gender, Governance, Health, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Infrastructure & Public-Private Partnerships, Jobs & Development, Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management, Nutrition, Poverty, Regional Integration, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, Social Protection, Trade, Transport, Urban Development, Water

Fighting droughts with smart dams in Pakistan

The province of Sindh includes some of the most drought prone areas of Pakistan. The World Bank's Sindh Resilience Project aims to mitigate drought risks in vulnerable areas of Sindh, working…

Mehrunisa Malik, Bilal Khalid |
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Infrastructure & Public-Private Partnerships, Poverty, Water

What kind of regional connectivity does South Asia aspire to?

World Bank South Asia Region team provides a platform for conversations about regional connectivity and helps find common ground between country priorities and regional integration.

Mandakini Kaul |
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Competitiveness, Energy, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Poverty, Regional Integration, Trade, Transport, Water