START-UP Ecosystem in the Agricultural Sector

Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare is implementing “Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development” programme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) from 2018-19, with the objective of promoting innovation and agri-entrepreneurship, by providing financial and technical support for nurturing startups. 5 Knowledge Partners (KPs) and 24 RKVY Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) have been appointed for training & incubation of startups and implementation of this programme.

Under the programme, financial support upto Rs. 5 lakh is provided at the idea/pre seed stage and upto Rs. 25 lakh at the seed stage to entrepreneurs/ startups in agriculture & allied sector to launch their products, services, business platforms, etc in the market and to facilitate them in scaling up.

Start-ups are trained and incubated by the 5 KPs and 24 R-ABIs appointed under the programme. Government of India organizes 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.

Financial assistance of Rs. 122.50 crore have been released in installments to a total of 1708 agri startups through various KPs and R-ABIs from 2019-20 to 2023-24 under the “Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development” programme. The year –wise details of financial support provided to startups is as under:

Financial Year	Total  number of startups supported	Total fund released to startups (in installments) Rs. in crore
2019-20	58	3.13
2020-21	588	27.43
2021-22	277	20.34
2022-23	253	24.35
2023-24	532	47.25
Total	1708	122.50

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.