Partner with World Development Foundation
You may be anywhere in the world — Asia, Africa, Europe or the Americas — you can become our partner to work together in India or your country. Our expertise in broadcasting, media, ICT and education, combined with our strategic low-cost solutions, creates a win-win for all.
WDF Expertise & Philosophy
Decades of experience in broadcasting, ICT, education and community development — delivered with integrity.
Terrestrial Broadcasting
Frequency planning, coverage prediction, system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of radio and television broadcast networks.
Satellite Broadcasting
Full turnkey solutions for uplink and downlink systems employing both analogue and state-of-the-art digital video compression technologies.
Studio Systems
Interior design and acoustics for broadcast studios, offices, theatres and auditoriums. Design and implementation of audio-video production and post-production suites.
Content & Strategy
Content planning, commercial strategy, operations, engineering design, regulatory support, and assistance in site planning and system design.
Our Philosophy
Our key philosophy is to provide quality service of the highest standard. This includes flexible, tailor-made, cost-effective solutions for every partner's unique requirements, with emphasis on a professional, total-quality approach with frequent reviews and monitoring for efficient and cost-effective completion of every project on schedule.
Quality First
Highest standard in every deliverable
Cost-Effective
Tailor-made solutions for every need
Total Quality
Frequent reviews and monitoring
On Schedule
Efficient, cost-effective project delivery
Indian Scenario
Understanding India's socio-economic context — challenges and opportunities for global partners.
India, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, stands at a critical juncture. While the nation has made remarkable strides in economic growth, digital infrastructure and global influence, profound challenges persist. Hunger, poverty, regional inequality and institutional decline remain urgent concerns that demand innovative, scalable solutions.
Nearly 660 million people are projected to face food insecurity globally by 2030, with a significant proportion in South Asia. India's agricultural sector — employing nearly half the workforce — struggles with fragmented landholdings, climate volatility, market access barriers and information asymmetry. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep fault lines in education, healthcare and rural connectivity.
Yet these challenges present unprecedented opportunities for global partnerships. India's rapid digital adoption (over 800 million internet users), policy focus on self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat), and commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals create a fertile ground for collaborative innovation in media, agriculture, education and technology.
Indian Media & Entertainment Industry
A sector undergoing rapid digital transformation with immense potential for global collaboration.
The Indian media and entertainment (M&E) industry was projected to reach approximately Rs 307,000 crore (US$ 43.93 billion) by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 13.5% over 2019-2024. Television, print and films remain major segments, but digital media is the fastest-growing driver.
India's advertising revenue was projected to reach Rs 1,367 billion (US$ 19.56 billion) by FY24. The country ranked 15th in the global music industry and was expected to enter the top 10 music markets by 2022. Digital M&E platforms grew 13.3% in FY19, contributing the most to sector growth.
Key opportunities for partners:
- Community radio expansion — only 250+ stations for 1.4 billion people
- Digital content creation and OTT platform collaboration
- Broadcast infrastructure modernisation and digitisation
- Training and capacity building in media production
Indian Agriculture & Allied Sectors
Modernising agriculture through ICT, community radio and Knowledge Agriculture®.
India is expected to achieve the ambitious goal of doubling farm income. The agriculture sector is generating better momentum due to increased investments in irrigation facilities, warehousing and cold storage. Total agricultural exports grew at a CAGR of 14.61% over FY10-19 to reach US$ 38.54 billion in FY19.
WDF's Knowledge Agriculture® framework — a Government of India trademarked innovation — integrates IoT, AI, UAVs, Robotics and cloud computing with traditional farming wisdom to address SDG-2 Zero Hunger. The framework rests on four pillars: Farm-to-Fork Technology, Global Education Ecosystem, Fair Data Repository and Collaborative Network.
ICT in Agriculture
Knowledge Agriculture® integrates IoT sensors, UAV surveys, satellite imagery and AI-powered decision engines for real-time farm monitoring and intelligence.
Community Radio
WDF's seven community radio stations in Ethiopia and numerous stations across India prove community radio as a last-mile agricultural knowledge delivery system.
UAV & Drone Systems
Crop mapping, precision spraying, pest surveillance and harvest planning via automated drone flights — available through WDF's technology arsenal.
Farmer Empowerment
ANDS Bihar system (2010) connected agricultural scientists, KVKs and farmers through ICT, demonstrating measurable improvements in yield and income.
Case Study: Agriculture Knowledge Dissemination System (ANDS), Bihar
WDF designed and commissioned ANDS in 2010-2011 under an MOU with Rajendra Agricultural University (RAU) Pusa and Bihar Agricultural University. This ICT-powered network connected agricultural scientists, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), extension workers and community radio stations to deliver actionable knowledge to farmers across Bihar — improving yield, income and adoption of modern methods. The system serves as a replicable blueprint for other states and countries.
Indian Education Sector
Challenges of commercialization and the transformative alternative offered by WDF Universe.
India has the world's largest population of about 500 million in the age bracket of 5-24 years. The education sector is estimated at US$ 91.7 billion (FY18), with 39,931 colleges and 993 universities. Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education reached 26.3% in 2018-19.
However, the sector faces significant challenges: commercialization of higher education, widespread unethical practices, lack of industry alignment, rote learning over skill development, and limited access for rural and marginalised communities. The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the digital divide and the inadequacy of conventional education delivery models.
WDF's response: WDF Universe offers a free, ethical, globally accessible education platform with certified online courses, AI-enabled learning modules and community radio-based knowledge delivery — bridging the gap between quality education and those who need it most.
WDF Universe — Global Education Platform
Free, certified, AI-enabled education for achieving SDG-2 Zero Hunger by 2030.
WDF Universe (wdfuniverse.org) is the official global education and research platform of the World Development Foundation. It hosts the Knowledge Agriculture® framework alongside 12+ free certified online courses for farmers, agro-informaticians and rural communities worldwide. Courses are available in English, Hindi, Arabic and French.
Scientific Paddy Cultivation
Video + Audio · Hindi/English/Arabic
UAVs for Agriculture
Video + Multimedia · English
Goat & Sheep Rearing
Video + Audio · 4 Languages
Honeybee Keeping
Video + Audio · 4 Languages
Mixed Fish & Duck Farming
Video · English
Seed Production Techniques
Video + Audio · English/Hindi
WDF University for SDG 2030
WDF University for SDG 2030 has been launched with a mission to educate the global population on the importance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to achieve them by providing professional courses for continuing education and lifelong learning opportunities. The platform leverages AI-enabled modules, community radio broadcasting and multimedia content to reach learners in even the most remote locations.
Investments & Recent Developments
Growing global interest in India's education, media and technology sectors.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow into the Indian education sector stood at US$ 3 billion from April to December 2019. Major global players — including Facebook, Google, General Atlantic and Qatar's sovereign fund — have made significant investments in Indian edtech companies such as Byju's, Unacademy and Harappa Education.
Several foreign universities and institutions have expressed strong interest in collaborating with Indian partners for joint research, curriculum development and student exchange programmes. The Government of India is actively encouraging colleges to offer online courses in rural areas to ensure education for all.
Key developments:
- Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB) signed a collaboration agreement with Google for Education in India
- Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) — 254,897 training centres registered, ~2 crore candidates trained
- Skill India initiative (Kaushal Bharat, Kushal Bharat) — target of training 400 million citizens by 2022
- National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015, Skill Loan scheme, National Skill Development Mission
Opportunities for Foreign Universities & Institutions
WDF invites foreign universities and institutions to collaborate in India through:
- Joint research programmes in community radio, ICT for development and Knowledge Agriculture®
- Curriculum development and co-branded certification courses on WDF Universe platform
- Student and faculty exchange programmes with WDF's network of universities and community radio stations
- Collaborative field research in rural India with access to WDF's established infrastructure
- Co-development of AI-enabled learning modules for agriculture and media education
Partners & Collaborations
WDF is proud to have collaborated with leading institutions across government, academia and industry.
Government of India
Ministry of Communication and IT, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting — policy partnerships for community radio and ICT development.
Government of Ethiopia
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) — seven community radio stations established across Ethiopia in 2015.
Academic Institutions
RAU Pusa, Bihar Agricultural University, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University — MOUs for community radio, education and research.
International Bodies
Embassy of India in Ethiopia, Economic Faculty Association (EFR) Rotterdam, Oxford University — academic exchange and project recognition.
Technology Partners
DB/DM Broadcast Italy, Databricks, AWS — technology infrastructure for broadcasting, cloud computing and AI-enabled learning.
NGO & Community
Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), TCIL, community radio operators — grassroots implementation and community engagement.
Get Involved — Partner with WDF
Whether you are a university, NGO, government agency, media organisation, technology company or community group, WDF welcomes collaboration. Together we can amplify impact across broadcasting, education, agriculture and community development.