Society
New Report Highlights Pathways to Inclusive Economic Growth through AI
The WEF’s report offers key strategies for addressing equity concerns, tailoring AI solutions to local needs, and driving sustainable, long-term economic growth.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released a comprehensive new report that explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can foster inclusive economic growth and societal progress. While AI has the potential to reshape economies and societies, the report underscores the significant challenge of ensuring that its benefits are shared equitably across the globe. The WEF’s report offers key strategies for addressing equity concerns, tailoring AI solutions to local needs, and driving sustainable, long-term economic growth.
Titled Blueprint for Intelligent Economies, the report was developed in collaboration with KPMG and provides a roadmap for governments, businesses, and other stakeholders to advance AI adoption at the national, regional, and global levels. Part of the Forum’s AI Competitiveness through Regional Collaboration Initiative, the report aims to tackle disparities in AI access, infrastructure, computing capabilities, and skills.
“We must recognize that while leveraging AI for economic growth and societal progress is a shared goal, countries and regions start from very different positions,” said Cathy Li, Head of AI, Data, and the Metaverse at the World Economic Forum. “This blueprint serves as a compass, guiding decision-makers toward impact-oriented collaboration and practical solutions that can unlock AI’s full potential.”
National and Regional Collaboration Key to Success
Central to the report’s findings is the emphasis on designing AI strategies that involve a wide range of stakeholders—including governments, businesses, entrepreneurs, civil society, and end-users. Such strategies must be locally driven, supported by high-level leadership, and developed in close consultation with communities to address pressing issues like governance, data privacy, and the impact of AI policies on innovation and investment.
“The significant potential of AI remains largely untapped in many regions worldwide. Establishing an inclusive and competitive AI ecosystem will become a crucial priority for all nations,” remarked Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies of South Africa. “Collaboration among multiple stakeholders at the national, regional, and global levels will be essential in fostering growth and prosperity through AI for everyone.”
Tailored Frameworks for AI Development
The Blueprint for Intelligent Economies draws on global expertise to offer tailored frameworks for nations at different stages of AI development. The report highlights how successful solutions from other regions can be adapted to overcome local challenges. For instance, sharing AI infrastructure and energy resources across regions can alleviate national resource limitations, while centralized data banks can ensure local datasets reflect the diverse needs of communities. Public-private partnerships can also make AI-ready devices more affordable, allowing local innovators to scale their operations.
“All nations have a unique opportunity to advance their economic and societal progress through AI,” said Hatem Dowidar, CEO of E&. “This requires a collaborative approach with intentional leadership from governments, supported by active engagement from all stakeholders at all stages of the AI journey. Regional and global collaborations remain fundamental to addressing shared challenges and ensuring equitable access to key AI capabilities.”
Top Strategic Objectives for AI Development
The report outlines nine strategic objectives to guide AI strategies globally, focusing on three top priorities:
- Building Sustainable AI Infrastructure: Developing secure, scalable, and environmentally responsible AI systems is essential for unlocking growth. However, this requires significant investment and cross-sector collaboration.
- Curating Diverse and High-Quality Datasets: Data is critical to developing fair, accurate, and equitable AI models. Overcoming challenges like data accessibility, imbalance, and ownership is key to creating datasets that reflect the diversity of populations.
- Establishing Robust Ethical and Safety Guardrails: Ethical frameworks and safety standards are necessary to ensure that AI benefits society while minimizing risks. Preventing misuse and promoting responsible development will help build public trust in AI.
The report advocates for a multi-layered approach to advancing these objectives, starting with a focus on sustainable infrastructure and energy use, followed by embedding AI across sectors to drive innovation, and ending with a people-centered approach that prioritizes workforce empowerment and ethical governance.
Public-Private Partnerships Critical for Global AI Adoption
The WEF report also underscores the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to accelerate AI adoption. Governments, by implementing supportive policies and incentivizing continuous learning, can unlock AI’s potential as a growth engine and ensure that workers thrive in an AI-powered world.
In support of this vision, the AI Governance Alliance is launching Regional AI Activation Networks. These initiatives, set to roll out across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia throughout 2025, aim to deliver tailored programs that enhance AI capabilities, promote local data governance, and foster resilient AI value chains in regional ecosystems.
With this new report, the World Economic Forum continues to drive the conversation on how to harness AI for equitable growth, ensuring that no region or community is left behind as the world moves into an increasingly AI-powered future.
Society
Is India’s Clean Cooking Gas Model the Future for the Global South?
The Indian model, backed by smart subsidies and sustainable policies, provides a scalable solution for developing nations striving for clean cooking access

At the just concluded India Energy Week 2025 (February 11-14), India’s Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, chaired a Ministerial Roundtable on Clean Cooking, where India’s success in providing universal access to clean cooking gas became a key focal point. The Minister emphasized that India’s model for clean cooking gas is not only a success story but also a replicable blueprint for the Global South, offering solutions to nations facing similar energy access challenges.
“India’s clean cooking gas revolution is a game-changer,” said Puri. He pointed out the key factors behind this success: targeted subsidies, strong political will, the digitization of distribution networks by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), and nationwide campaigns to shift cultural practices towards clean cooking.
The session brought together representatives from Brazil, Tanzania, Malawi, Sudan, Nepal, and key industry leaders, including the International Energy Agency (IEA), Total Energy, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). These nations, all striving to enhance energy access for their populations, were eager to learn from India’s achievements.
Under India’s popular government scheme Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY– Prime Minister’s Lightening Scheme), beneficiaries receive LPG access at a highly affordable cost of just 7 cents per day, while other consumers can access clean cooking fuel at 15 cents per day. “This affordability has been a game-changer in driving widespread adoption,” added Shri Puri, underlining the pivotal role of subsidies in overcoming financial barriers to clean cooking.
International representatives shared their nations’ efforts to transition to clean cooking solutions. Dkt. Doto Mashaka Biteko, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Tanzania, outlined the country’s strategy to transition 80% of households to clean cooking by 2030, relying on subsidies and a mix of energy sources, including LPG, natural gas, and biogas. Despite this ambition, he noted challenges such as financing constraints, infrastructure costs, and the need for regulatory reforms to encourage private-sector participation.
Similarly, Dr. Mohieldien Naiem Mohamed Saied, Minister of Energy and Oil, Sudan, emphasized the need for private-sector involvement to overcome gaps in LPG supply, particularly as Sudan still imports much of its energy. He stressed the importance of encouraging local cylinder production and ensuring cost-effective imports to drive broader adoption.
Mary Burce Warlick, Deputy Executive Director of the IEA, recognized India’s success as a model that offers valuable lessons for other nations grappling with issues of affordability, access, and infrastructure. She emphasized the role of concessional financing and public-private partnerships (PPP) in scaling up clean cooking access. Addressing cultural acceptance and regulatory adjustments, such as tax reductions, were also highlighted as critical factors for large-scale adoption.
Rahool Panandiker, Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), further underscored the effectiveness of India’s clean cooking transformation. He attributed the success to the strong political commitment, effective subsidy targeting, and robust public awareness campaigns. Panandiker also credited India’s Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for enabling last-mile LPG delivery through digital platforms, making adoption seamless. He also stressed the importance of refining the cylinder refill model to ensure sustained usage while balancing affordability with economic sustainability.
In addition to LPG, the roundtable explored the potential of alternative clean cooking technologies. Puri addressed the potential of solar cookers in expanding clean cooking solutions across the Global South. He highlighted that IOCL’s advanced solar cookers, priced at approximately $500 per unit, could be a viable solution, though the price point remains a challenge for widespread adoption. “Leveraging carbon financing and collaborating with the private sector can drive costs down and make solar cooking a viable alternative for millions,” he stated.
This initiative aligns with India’s broader efforts to diversify clean cooking options beyond LPG, further reinforcing its commitment to reducing reliance on traditional biomass fuels and cutting carbon emissions. The government’s focus on solar cooking options aims to ensure a more sustainable future for energy access, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
“The Indian model, backed by smart subsidies and sustainable policies, provides a scalable solution for developing nations striving for clean cooking access,” Puri said. He also stressed that achieving universal clean cooking access is not merely an economic imperative but a moral one, given the severe health and environmental impacts of traditional biomass cooking.
Green Energy
India Strengthens Clean Energy Initiatives at India Energy Week 2025
These clean energy projects are part of India’s broader strategy to diversify its energy sources and strengthen its energy security while promoting sustainability

At the India Energy Week 2025, India underscored its commitment to a sustainable and clean energy future through several strategic partnerships and agreements. Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, highlighted the importance of these initiatives in driving India’s transition to a greener energy landscape.
A key development in the clean energy sector was the partnership between India’s public sector firm BPCL and Eco Wave Power of Israel, which aims to establish India’s first wave energy pilot project in Mumbai. The project will utilize wave energy converter technology, marking a significant step in the country’s exploration of renewable energy sources.
In the biofuel sector, BPCL also signed an MoU with the National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, to scale up the production of sweet sorghum-based bioethanol. This collaboration will help build capacity for both farmers and industry partners, supporting India’s drive to increase the share of biofuels in its energy mix.
These clean energy projects are part of India’s broader strategy to diversify its energy sources and strengthen its energy security while promoting sustainability. Through these initiatives, India is reinforcing its position as a key player in the global clean energy transition.
Minister Puri emphasized that these agreements are a testament to India’s commitment to securing affordable, sustainable energy and fostering international collaborations in cutting-edge energy solutions. These partnerships will help achieve India’s energy transition goals, ensuring a resilient and sustainable energy future for the nation.
Society
Sustainable Farming: The Microgreens Model from Kerala, South India
Microgreens can be harvested in 10 to 15 days from sowing, and they are not affected by external factors like rainfall, floods, or drought.

In the verdant expanses of South Chittoor, a locality near Ernakulam city in Kerala, a coastal state in the southwestern part of India, lives Ajay Gopinath, a pioneer in the field of urban farming. In a region where traditional farming is deeply rooted but not always feasible, Ajay has embraced a more innovative approach, cultivating crops in a controlled indoor environment. His journey into microgreen farming is not just about a unique method of growing food, but a mission to bring sustainable, nutritious farming into urban spaces.
With a small, yet efficient setup of food-grade trays and advanced farming techniques, Ajay has created an urban farm within his own home. This modern method allows him to grow a variety of microgreens without the need for large tracts of land or the strenuous labour typically associated with farming. His work is a testament to how technology and tradition can combine, offering a glimpse into the future of agriculture in cities. Ajay showcases his micro-farming setup in a 600-square-foot space, where he grows a variety of crops using food-grade trays in a micro-farming system.

Microgreens and Their Benefits
Microgreens, such as sprouts and small plants grown from seeds, are harvested when they reach about two inches in height. This method of growing plants is known as “microgreen farming” and does not require extensive land or hard physical labour. “Microgreens can be harvested in 10 to 15 days from sowing, and they are not affected by external factors like rainfall, floods, or drought. Plants like sunflower, mustard, spinach, chickpea, and others can be grown in this way,” says Ajay Gopinath.
The key advantage of microgreens is their dense nutritional value. For instance, just 25 grams of microgreens can provide the same nutritional benefits as consuming a kilogram of cabbage or lentils. Microgreens are essentially at the next growth stage after sprouts, when they develop their first true leaves alongside the cotyledons.
Ajay Gopinath’s Urban Microgreen Farm
Ajay operates his indoor microgreen farm behind the Chittoor temple in Ernakulam, where he grows around 15 varieties of microgreens, including mustard, chia seeds, cabbage, and others. With daily harvests, his small farming space consistently yields reliable income. Through his venture Grow Greens, Ajay has proven that large-scale land is unnecessary for microgreen farming, making it possible to grow these nutritious plants in a small indoor space.
How to Farm Microgreens Indoors?
Microgreens are grown in trays arranged on racks, where each tray contains a different variety of plant. This indoor farm follows modern agricultural techniques using artificial lighting, fans, and purified water to create a controlled environment. In the initial stages, the seeds are placed in shallow trays with a layer of moist cloth. After two days, once the seeds begin to sprout, the trays are moved to the “grow room” that maintains the ideal temperature and humidity for plant growth. Within 7 to 10 days, the microgreens reach a height of 24 inches, and they are ready to be harvested.
Microgreens are grown in trays arranged on racks, where each tray contains a different variety of plant
Ajay emphasizes that proper microgreen farming should be scientifically conducted, and the use of materials like printed paper or plastic is not ideal for healthy production. He stresses the importance of using seeds that are free from pesticides and other chemicals, and the seeds must be non-GMO, produced under natural conditions. Seeds for this purpose are sourced from cities like Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad.
The Nutritional Benefits of Microgreens
Microgreens contain up to 40 times the nutrient density of mature plants. While many people are familiar with basic salad ingredients like onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers, microgreens offer a much more potent alternative. They are now favoured by health-conscious individuals, those on specialized diets, and patients undergoing treatment. Ajay’s microgreens are sold in star hotels and supermarkets in Ernakulam, and he offers sample packs for those new to this type of nutrition.
Market Demand and Expansion
While microgreens are priced at 1500-2000 INR per kilogram in the market, Ajay’s aim is to make them widely accessible. He believes that microgreen farming should expand to the grassroots level, making it available in local panchayats as a sustainable and nutritious food option. By making daily deliveries of freshly harvested microgreens, Ajay is building awareness about this high-tech farming method, showing that it requires minimal land and effort while offering a steady income.
Setting Up a Microgreen Farm
To begin, food-grade trays are used for farming. These trays are arranged on racks, with each tray dedicated to a specific plant. A controlled environment, complete with artificial light, fans, and purified water, ensures optimal conditions for growth. Special containers are used to prepare the seeds, and after the first two days, when they begin to sprout, they are moved to the grow room. By maintaining low humidity and a consistent temperature, the plants can grow and be harvested in just 7-10 days.
Ajay suggests that anyone, even those living in apartments with limited space, can grow microgreens at home. He recommends using local seeds, such as rice, millet, fenugreek, or mustard, and ensuring the growing space has good airflow and sunlight.
The EP View
Microgreen farming, as demonstrated by Ajay Gopinath and his Grow Greens venture, is a promising solution for urban farming. It proves that with minimal space and effort, anyone can grow highly nutritious crops indoors, offering both health benefits and a sustainable income source. Through his work, Ajay is helping to popularize microgreen farming, aiming to make it accessible to all.
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