MM TAX CLUB

PROMOTION OF STARTUPS IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR

The Government of India is committed to promote Agri-startups by providing financial and technical support to agri-startups in agriculture and allied sectors. Department of

Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing “Innovation and Agri-

Entrepreneurship Development” programme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) from 2018-19 with an objective to promote innovation and agri-entrepreneurship by providing financial and technical support for nurturing startups ecosystem in the country. 

So far, 5 Knowledge Partners (KPs) and 24 RKVY Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) have been appointed for training & incubation of agri-startups and implementation of this programme. The list of these 5 KPs and 24 R-ABIs is at Annexure. Under the programme, the funds are released to KPs and R-ABIs functioning in different States. These KPs and R-ABIs have established incubation centres to provide trainings, mentorship and financial support to startups under the programme. 

So far, 1554 agri-startups including 387 women led startups working in various field of agriculture & allied sector have been supported with technical and financial assistance of Rs. 111.57 crores released in instalments through various KPs and R-ABIs from 2019-20 to 2023-24 under this programme.  

Under the programme, the financial support up to Rs. 5.00 lakh is provided at the idea/pre seed stage and up to Rs. 25 lakh at the seed stage to entrepreneurs/ startups in the field of agriculture & allied sector to launch their products, services, business platforms, etc into the market and facilitate them to scale up their products and operations. Start-ups are trained and incubated by these Knowledge Partners (KPs) and RKVY Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) appointed under the programme. Besides, Government of India organize various national level programmes including agri-startup conclave, agri-fair and exhibitions, webinars, workshops to provide a platform for the promotion of agri-startups by linking them with various stakeholders. 

This Department is implementing “Agriculture Infrastructure Fund” scheme from 2020-21 onwards with an objective to provide medium-long term debt finance facility for investment in viable projects  for post harvest management and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee support to the eligible beneficiaries including farmers, agri entrepreneurs, start-ups etc. There is no specific provision for landless tenant farmers to setup start-ups under this scheme. However, 1284 startups have been supported with medium-long term debt financial support of Rs. 1248 crore including startup initiated by farmers under this scheme, given below. 

List of Knowledge Partners (KPs) and RKVY- Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs)

Knowledge Partners (KPs):

1. National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad.
2. National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM) Jaipur, Rajasthan.
3. Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Pusa, New Delhi.
4. University of Agriculture Science, Dharwad, Karnataka.
5. Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat, Assam. 

RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs):

1. Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Hisar, Haryana 
2. CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 
3. IIT-BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh  
4. Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
5. ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh 
6. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab 
7. Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh 
8. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu & Kashmir
9. IIM, Kashipur, Uttarakhand
10. Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala
11. ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad, Telangana   
12. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
13. Agri innovation and entrepreneurship cell, ANGRAU, Andhra Pradesh
14. National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha
15. S K N Agriculture University, Jobner, Rajasthan 
16. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal   
17. Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar
18. Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat
19. ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai, Maharashtra 
20. Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra  
21. National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI), Bengaluru, Karnataka
22. College of Fisheries, Lembucherra, Tripura
23. Department of Veterinary Medicine College of Veterinary Sciences &Animal Husbandry, Aizawl, Mizoram
24. College of Horticulture & Forestry, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh

This information was given by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Arjun Munda in a written reply in Rajya Sabha

Press Release