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):

 

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. 

 

 

RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs):

 

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

 

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

The Government has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme viz., National Food Security Mission- Oilseeds & Oil palm (NFSM-OS&OP) from 2018-19 to augment the availability of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of nine oilseed crops and area expansion under Oil Palm & Tree Borne Oilseeds in the country. 

 

Under the NFSM- Oilseeds, incentives/ subsidies are being provided to the farmers through State Government for three broad interventions viz. (i) seed component covering purchase of breeder seeds , production of foundation seeds & certified seeds, distribution of certified seeds, distribution of seed minikits & seed hub (ii) production inputs component covering seed storage bins, Plant Protection (PP) equipments & seed treating drum, PP chemicals, distribution of gypsum/ pyrites/ lime etc., Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus/ bio agent, supply of bio-fertilizers, improved farm implements, sprinkler sets, water carrying pipes, and (iii) transfer of technology component covering cluster/ block demonstrations, Frontline Demonstrations, Cluster Frontline Demonstrations and training through National Agricultural Research System and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Integrated Pest Management through Farmer Field School (FFS) mode, training of farmers, training of officers/ extension workers, need based R&D project including seminar/ kisan mela and oil extraction unit under flexi funds. 

 

Now, the Government has launched a separate mission i.e. National Mission on Edible Oils (Oil Palm)- NMEO (OP) in 2021-22 to promote oil palm cultivation for making the country Aatmanirbhar in edible oils with special focus on North Eastern States and Andaman & Nicobar by increasing area of Oil Palm from 3.70 lakh hectares to 10.00 lakh hectares in 2025-26. 

 

Both NFSM- Oilseeds and NMEO (OP) are being implemented in the country with the objective of augmenting the availability of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds & oil palm and reducing the import burden.

 

In addition to above, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- RAFTAAR (RKVYRAFTAAR) provides provision for crop production related activities on oilseeds. Under RKVY-RAFTAAR, the states can also implement programme on oilseeds with the approval of State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) constituted under the chairpersonship of Chief Secretary of the state. 

 

Finance Minister during her budget speech 2024 has made following announcement:- 

 

'Building on the initiative announced in 2022, a strategy will be formulated to achieve ‘atmanirbharta’ for oil seeds such as mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean and sunflower. This will cover research for high- yielding varieties, widespread adoption of modern farming techniques, market linkages, procurement, value addition, and crop insurance'.  

 

Due to efforts of the Government, the import dependency of edible oils have been reduced from 63.25% in 2015-16 to 57.30% in 2022-23 and domestic production has increased from 36.75 % in 2015-16 to 42.71 % in 2022-23 of the total demand of the country despite rise in overall demand of edible oil.  

 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India organizes National Conferences on Agriculture Campaign before sowing season of Zaid, Kharif & Rabi to discuss various issues related to upcoming sowing season. In these conference issues related to seeds are also discussed. The details of National Conferences organized by Ministry in last three years are given below:

S.  No.	National Conference for	Date
1.	Rabi-2023-24	26.09.2023
2.	Kharif-2023	03.05.2023
3.	Zaid-2023	20.02.2023
4.	Rabi-2022-23	07.09.2022
5.	Kharif-2022	19.04.2022
6.	Zaid-2022	27.01.2022
7.	Rabi-2021-22	21.09.2021
8.	Kharif-2021	30.04.2021
9	Zaid-2021	22.01.2021
10	Rabi 2020-21	21.09.2020
11	Kharif-2020	16.04.2020
12	Zaid-2020	17.01.2020

 

In these conferences, various issues related to agriculture at National and State levels are discussed. During these conferences: -

To create domestic and global demand and to provide nutritional food to the people, Government of India had proposed to the United Nations for declaring year 2023 as International Year of Millets (IYM). The proposal of India was supported by 72 countries and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as International Year of Millets during March, 2021. The Government of India has taken a proactive multi-stakeholder engagement approach (engaging various central government Ministries/Departments, States/UTs, farmers, start-ups, exporters, retail businesses, hotels, Indian Embassies etc.) to achieve the objectives of IYM 2023 and taking Indian millets globally. 

 

The focus during IYM-2023 was to enhance production and productivity, consumption, export, strengthening value chain, branding, creating awareness for health benefits etc. The

 

Government of India has organized various events to make it peoples’ movement so that the Indian millets, recipes, value added products be promoted globally. Millets were promoted during the G20 presidency in India, Millet Culinary carnival, International Trade Events, Chef’s Conference, exhibition of Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs), road shows, kisan melas, Chef’s training for paramilitary forces, ASEAN India Millet Festival at Indonesia and Delhi etc. 

 

A key event organized towards International Year of Millets was the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference, held from 18th – 19th March 2023 at IARI, Pusa Campus, New Delhi which was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the exhibition on millets was further extended by three days. To make India a global hub for 'Shree Anna', the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad has been declared as the Global Centre of Excellence for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the national and international level. 

 

The Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), Hyderabad is also providing training to the farmers, women farmers, home makers, students and young entrepreneurs on manufacturing of value-added millet food products, daily recipes etc., and supporting them to establish self-enterprise. The institute has also developed value-added technologies include 'Ready to Eat' and 'Ready to Cook' for millet foods, branding of millet foods under 'Eatrite' tag, organized awareness programmes, agri-business incubator, technology business incubators etc. 

 

The new Regional Research Centre for Bajra at Gudamalani, near Barmer, Rajasthan has been inaugurated on 27th September, 2023.  To strengthen the research collaboration and public awareness of millets globally, a new initiative viz., 'Millets and Other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative (MAHARISHI)’’ has been adopted during the G20 Presidency. 

 

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has approved the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry for Millet-based products (PLISMBP) for implementation during 2022-23 to 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs. 800 crores. Millets are also included under the Poshan Abhiyan of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.  Further, the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution has revised its guidelines to increase the procurement of millets under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal. 

 

An Export Promotion Forum dedicated to promotion of millets in the international market has been set up to facilitate promotion, marketing and development of millets exports from India. Under the Eat Right campaign, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is creating awareness to promote the use of millets as part of a healthy and varied diet. To encourage consumption of Shree Anna among government employees, all Government offices have been advised to include Shree Anna snacks in departmental trainings/meetings and Shree Anna based food items in departmental canteens.

 

In order to increase the production & productivity of millets (Shree Anna), the

 

Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing a Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals (Millets) under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in all districts of 28 States & 2 Union Territories viz. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Nutri-Cereals (millets) such as Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl Millet (Bajra), Finger Millet (Ragi/Mandua), Minor Millets i.e., Foxtail Millet (Kangani/Kakun), Proso Millet (Cheena), Kodo Millet (Kodo), Barnyard Millet (Sawa/Sanwa/ Jhangora), Little Millet (Kutki) and two Pseudo Millets Buck-wheat (Kuttu) and Amaranthus (Chaulai) are covered under NFSM programme. 

 

Under NFSM–Nutri Cereals, the incentives are provided to the farmers, through the States/UTs, on crop production and protection technologies, cropping system based demonstrations, production & distribution of certified seeds of newly released varieties/hybrids, Integrated Nutrient and Pest Management techniques, improved farm implements/tools/resource conservation machineries, water saving devices, capacity building of farmers through trainings during cropping season, organizing events/workshops, distribution of seed minikits, publicity through print and electronic media etc.  

 

In addition, Government of India also provides flexibility to the states for state specific needs/priorities under Rashtirya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). The states can promote Millets (Shree Anna) under RKVY with approval of State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) headed by Chief Secretary of the State. In addition, states such as Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh have initiated Millet Missions in the States to promote millets.  

 

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

There was a time when Dilpreet Singh, a farmer from Sangrur, was going from pillar to post to sell his millet. Local shops were turning him away. But now, a lucrative overseas market has suddenly opened up for him.

 

It all happened when Singh was browsing the internet looking for sales avenues for his millet. He came across the site of APEDA, the Centre’s agri export promotion agency. Using its help, he got an exporter’s license and completed other formalities such as fumigation to send his first consignment to Australia. It turned out to be a golden deal for Singh, who sold the millet at a rate that was over seven times what other exporters, on average, receive.

 

 'I have already received $35,000 and will receive the remaining amount soon,' Singh told businessline. He grows millet on a 14-acre land and says he ensures there is no mix with any other grain, and the entire crop is chemical-free. Singh is also confident in meeting the importing country’s stringent condition – delivering the products to Australian Customs within 21 days of fumigation done in India.

 

The first export consignment of 14.93 tonnes of millets and millet-atta valued at about $45,000 was flagged off by APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev on January 31. 'It is heartening to know our farmer is exporting millets from Punjab to Australia after meeting their requirements,' Dev said. The Sydney-based importer Jasvir Singh, who joined the virtual flag-off ceremony, expressed confidence in importing more such consignments in the future as the Sangrur farmer has complete value chain control from end-to-end.

 

Dilpreet Singh grows millets in his own farms and also does both primary and secondary processing in his own unit, including packaging. The first consignment included different millet varieties – Proso, Kodo, Foxtail, Little, Browntop, Barnyard, Ragi, Bajra, and Jowar – both in the form of grain as well as flour.

 

Narrating his journey, Singh said that the first time when he packed his products in a 500-gram pack and took it to a local shop, the trader refused to buy and advised him to sell at mandis in bulk. Undeterred, Singh kept trying.

 

'I started looking for export opportunities. As people from the diaspora normally help and I knew the current buyer earlier, I got in touch with him and he showed interest in my products,' Singh said.

 

India has exported 95,373 tonnes of millets worth $45.46 million (Rs.375.71 crore) during April-November of the current fiscal. In 2022-23, the millet export was 169,049 tonnes worth $75.45 million (Rs.608.12 crore). APEDA has facilitated around 500 start-ups in marketing and exporting millet-based value-added products.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is likely to review the impact of Red Sea crisis on trade as exporters expect March and April trade to be hit.

 

'So far there is no adverse impact on exports due to the crisis but traders expect the impact to figure in the numbers for March and April,' said an official.

 

Senior officials from the ministries of commerce and industry, petroleum, finance and petroleum and natural gas met members from the industry on Wednesday. The PMO review could be early next week.

 

'Exporters' bottom lines are getting hit in the existing contracts. We will have to take a call on new contracts,' said an industry representative who attended the meeting chaired by the commerce secretary.

 

Shipments from India to Europe, US east coast, North Africa and parts of Asia, have almost stopped taking the Red Sea route.

 

Exports from India are continuing as the sailings of ships carrying containers from the country have been diverted via the Cape of Good Hope route.