The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and Dalberg Advisors, has launched the National Climate Stack Innovation Challenge, a nationwide initiative aimed at strengthening climate resilience across rural India by building a robust, interoperable climate intelligence framework.
Announced recently, the challenge invites applications from innovators, researchers, startups, and institutions to develop advanced climate hazard forecasting models and user-friendly dashboards that can support decision-making in agriculture, rural finance, and public systems. With India facing increasing climate volatility, from heatwaves and floods to droughts and cyclones, the initiative seeks to bridge critical gaps between data availability and actionable insights.
Despite significant progress in climate data collection, much of the information remains fragmented across platforms, limiting its usability for real-time planning and risk mitigation. NABARD Chairman Shaji KV emphasized that the core issue lies not in the absence of data, but in its lack of integration and accessibility. He noted that the challenge aims to bring together diverse datasets into a seamless system that democratizes climate intelligence and enables forward-looking responses rather than reactive measures.
At the heart of the initiative is the vision to build a “National Climate Stack” for rural India, an integrated digital infrastructure that combines forecasting, analytics, and application layers. Participants are encouraged to design credible near-term climate hazard forecasting frameworks covering a 10–15 year horizon, alongside practical dashboards that demonstrate real-world use cases such as crop planning, disaster preparedness, and credit risk assessment.
The challenge will follow a multi-stage process beginning with an open call for applications in March 2026, followed by screening and shortlisting through April. Selected teams will enter a guided development phase, receiving expert mentorship over a six to eight week sprint to refine their models. Final submissions will undergo rigorous technical validation before winners are selected by a jury panel in June 2026.
Entries will be evaluated on multiple criteria including scientific rigor, explainability, scalability, interoperability, and real-world applicability. The initiative is anchored in NABARD’s existing platform, Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture (DiCRA), which is envisioned to evolve from a digital public good into a full-fledged digital public infrastructure supporting climate intelligence systems.
The top three teams will receive awards of Rs 15 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 5 lakh respectively. Beyond financial incentives, promising solutions may also be piloted and scaled through NABARD’s programmes and partnerships, creating pathways for long-term adoption and impact.
Through this initiative, NABARD and its partners aim to mobilize India’s innovation ecosystem to address one of the most pressing challenges facing rural economies today. By enabling integrated, predictive, and decision-ready climate intelligence, the National Climate Stack Innovation Challenge is expected to play a critical role in safeguarding livelihoods and enhancing resilience in the face of escalating climate risks.
