Government To Sponsor Agriculture Startups and Farming Entrepreneurs Under RKVY Program: Full Details Inside
Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW) has been implementing the "Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development" program since 2018-19.
The Government of India is dedicated to supporting the growth of agriculture startups through various initiatives aimed at providing financial and technical assistance. Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) program, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW) has been implementing the "Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development" program since 2018-19. This program aims to nurture the startup ecosystem in the country by offering support for innovation and agri-entrepreneurship.
Through partnerships with Knowledge Partners (KPs) and RKVY Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs), startups receive training, mentorship, and financial aid to launch and scale their ventures. Additionally, the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund scheme provides medium to long-term debt finance for viable projects, further fostering entrepreneurship in the agriculture sector.
Participation and Support:
- More than 5000 farmers, startups, women entrepreneurs, and youth from across the country have participated in the campaign under the RKVY program.
- Around 500 startups are set to receive technical and financial assistance under the Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Program of RKVY during 2022-23.
Appointment of Knowledge Partners and Incubators:
- Five Knowledge Partners (KPs) and twenty-four RKVY Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) have been appointed for training and incubation of agri-startups and implementing the program.
- These entities have established incubation centres to provide training, mentorship, and financial support to startups in different states.
Support Provided:
- From 2019-20 to 2023-24, a total of 1554 agri-startups, including 387 women-led startups, have been supported with technical and financial assistance amounting to Rs. 111.57 crores.
- The financial support ranges up to Rs. 5.00 lakh 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 sectors.
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Training and Incubation:
- Start-ups are trained and incubated by Knowledge Partners (KPs) and RKVY Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) appointed under the program.
- Various national-level programs including agri-startup conclaves, agri-fairs, exhibitions, webinars, and workshops are organized by the Government of India to provide a platform for the promotion of agri-startups.
Support through Agriculture Infrastructure Fund:
- The Department is also implementing the "Agriculture Infrastructure Fund" scheme from 2020-21 onwards to provide a medium-long-term debt finance facility for investment in viable projects.
- The scheme offers interest subvention and credit guarantee support to eligible beneficiaries including farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, and start-ups.
Support for Start-ups under the Scheme:
- Although there's no specific provision for landless tenant farmers to set up start-ups under this scheme, 1284 startups have been supported with medium-long-term debt financial support of Rs. 1248 crore.
- This support includes startups initiated by farmers, highlighting the inclusivity of the scheme towards promoting entrepreneurship in agriculture.
List of Knowledge Partners (KPs) and RKVY- Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs):
National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad.
National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM) Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Pusa, New Delhi.
University of Agriculture Science, Dharwad, Karnataka.
Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat, Assam.
Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Hisar, Haryana.
CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh.
IIT-BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab.
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu & Kashmir.
IIM, Kashipur, Uttarakhand.
Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala.
ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad, Telangana.
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Agri innovation and entrepreneurship cell, ANGRAU, Andhra Pradesh.
National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha.
S K N Agriculture University, Jobner, Rajasthan.
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal.
Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar.
Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat.
ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra.
National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI), Bengaluru, Karnataka.
College of Fisheries, Lembucherra, Tripura.
Department of Veterinary Medicine College of Veterinary Sciences &Animal Husbandry, Aizawl, Mizoram.
College of Horticulture & Forestry, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh.
The Government's initiatives aim to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth in the agriculture sector, empowering farmers and promoting economic development.
