The South Asian Policy Leadership for Improved Nutrition and Growth (SAPLING) is a dynamic regional platform convened by the World Bank with support from the Gates Foundation and other partners. It is dedicated to driving transformative change in nutrition-focused and resilient agri-food systems across South Asia.
SAPLING fosters cross-sectoral collaboration by bringing together policymakers, researchers, civil society practitioners, private sector leaders, innovators, and development partners to exchange knowledge, promote dialogue, and inspire action. As the region grapples with challenges like food insecurity, malnutrition, and the impacts of climate change, SAPLING serves as a vital conduit for evidence-based policy solutions and leadership. By addressing these interconnected issues, SAPLING aims to strengthen food systems, enhance nutritional outcomes, and build the resilience needed to support sustainable development and improve lives across South Asia.
SAPLING advances its mission through three interlinked pillars and core themes –
SAPLING actively leverages knowledge-building, dialogue, and dissemination as tools to bridge the gap between research and action.
In partnership with a growing network of allies and collaborators, SAPLING curates and shares knowledge through:
Policy dialogues on food systems challenges that are at the heart of the nutrition dilemma in South Asia
Evidence-based insights that draw on cutting edge research, tailored for policymakers and practitioners
Active spotlighting of innovations and scalable solutions from across the region
In 2025, SAPLING is partnering with the Nexus of Food Systems, Nutrition and Climate Change in South Asia – a Knowledge Exchange Series (KES) jointly organized by FAO and the World Bank. NEXUS KES has been successfully fostering dialogue between different stakeholders, shared best practices, and advocated for integrated, scalable solutions in South Asia's agrifood system.
SAPLING convenes high-impact events that inform policy, support local innovations, and connect decision-makers across the region. These multi-sectoral exchanges help drive momentum for continued dialogue and learning.
From Waste to Wealth: SAPLING at World Food India 2025
On September 26, 2025, SAPLING convened a dynamic regional session at World Food India 2025 in New Delhi, bringing together policymakers, entrepreneurs, and innovators from Bhutan, India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. Theyaddressed South Asia’s urgent food loss and waste (FLW) challenge - up to 40% of food is lost each year, impacting nutrition, farmer incomes, and climate goals.
Precision agriculture in action: SenzAgro’s advanced technology optimizes greenhouse plant growth with real-time monitoring and data-driven insights. Photo courtesy of SenzAgro.
Key Themes
Empowering Women and Youth. The session highlighted the critical role of women and youth in food systems transformation. Examples included SenzAgro Solutions’ digital tools for smallholders, S4S Technologies’ solar-powered processing for women farmers, and the Nilgiri Farmer Producer Organization’s collective action for value addition and market access.
Private Sector Innovation. Startups and enterprises are driving solutions for post-harvest loss and circular economy models. Innovations showcased included GreenPod Labs’ plant-based packaging to extend shelf life and Vietnam Food’s valorization of shrimp byproducts, creating jobs while keeping waste out of waterways. Together, these innovators are redefining how the region thinks about value, circularity, and sustainability.
Policy Integration and Regional Collaboration. Government and private sector voices agreed that solving FLW demands a systems approach. Bhutan’s pioneering national food loss assessment and Sri Lanka’s transition to climate-resilient crops offered powerful examples of cross-sector innovation. Panelists called for breaking siloed, cereal-centric policy frameworks, linking agriculture to health, nutrition, and climate agendas for more resilient outcomes across South Asia.
Innovative Finance and Partnerships. Finance emerged as a catalyst for change. India’s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is expanding green lending and carbon funds to support food systems innovation. Public-private partnerships are making modern infrastructure accessible to smallholder farmers.
Way Forward
SAPLING, led by the World Bank and supported by the Gates Foundation, continues to champion multi-country action for a resilient, inclusive, and nutrition-secure South Asia. By integrating policy, accelerating innovation, and expanding finance and partnerships, SAPLING is turning the region’s food loss challenge into an opportunity — from waste to wealth, and from vulnerability to vibrant, sustainable growth.
Beyond Waste Policy Dialogue, 2025
Photo credit: Orapin Joyphuem / Shutterstock
At this high-level regional event hosted in Colombo by the Government of Sri Lanka and the World Bank, SAPLING convened leaders from South Asia Region to spotlight food loss and waste as a critical lever for food security, climate resilience, and inclusive growth. Over two days of dialogue in June 2025 participants explored:
The economic and environmental costs of food loss across South Asia
Innovations in cold chain logistics, digital platforms, and circular economy models
Policy shifts needed to revalue food, reform subsidies, and empower small-scale producers
Country experiences from Bhutan’s dual food economy to Sri Lanka’s post-harvest reforms underscored the urgency of coordinated action. The event marked a turning point in recognizing food loss and waste not as a peripheral issue, but as central to achieving nutrition, sustainability, and equity goals in the region. Read more
Following the SAPLING “Beyond Waste” dialogue, a televised panel titled “Turning Food Waste into Wealth” aired on Ada Derana 24’s flagship program, Hyde Park. The discussion explored how South Asia can transform the challenge of food loss into an opportunity for green growth, youth employment, and regional cooperation. Panelists emphasized the role of innovation, entrepreneurship, and policy reform in creating sustainable food systems. The program also highlighted the importance of empowering youth and women in agri-food value chains and scaling up successful grassroots solutions.
In the sidelines of the SAPLING Beyond Waste convening, a trade workshop focused on improving food security and safety through better cross-border controls of agricultural commodities. The session brought together regulators, private sector actors, and regional organizations to explore harmonized standards, smarter border processes, and circular economy solutions that reduce food loss and waste. Participants emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, regulatory reform, and public-private partnerships to make agri-trade more efficient, inclusive, and resilient. The themes echoed in the workshop align with this call in the Trade Post to fix border bottlenecks as a lever to strengthen food systems and boost food availability across South Asia.
Unlocking Oppotunities for Policy Wins at Delivering for Nutrition (D4N) 2024
Photo Credit: Mamunur Rashid / Shutterstock
At the IFPRI-hosted D4N 2024 conference, SAPLING led a session on Unlocking Opportunities for Policy Wins, focusing on how evidence-based policymaking can drive nutrition-sensitive outcomes. Eminent panelists from government, academia, and civil society across the region emphasized:
The need for an emphatic shift from food security to nutrition security
The urgency for credible, timely evidence to inform policy decisions
The role of strategic communication and multi-sectoral partnerships to connect the dots between evidence and policy
World Soil Day 2024: Healthy Soils, Livable Planet, 2024
Photo Credit: RachenArt / Shutterstock
In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, SAPLING co-hosted an international workshop to elevate soil health as a national policy priority. The workshop highlighted:
The importance of soil health in fostering resilient, nutrition-oriented food systems
A shift in knowledge and practice towards climate-sensitive farming
The role of agricultural extension workers, community institutions and farming communities in shaping transformative action at scale
SAPLING engages a broad spectrum of stakeholders across South Asia, including:
Country governments
Regional cooperation bodies such as SAARC and BIMSTEC
Private sector actors, including national and regional associations, chambers, and social entrepreneurs
Development partners, youth organizations, NGOs/CSOs, and media, including international media and INGOs focused on nutrition and agrifood systems
Think tanks, academic and research institutions, and foundations
Fostering partnerships across a diverse ecosystem of researchers, practitioners and innovators, SAPLING helps bridge silos and builds collective capacity to shape forward-looking policies for food systems transformation in South Asia.
In addition, SAPLING serves as a strategic knowledge and engagement platform for the World Bank’s internal stakeholders, supporting cross-sectoral alignment on food and nutrition security goals and furthering the Bank’s Knowledge Compact and Global Challenges Program.
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