Centre to Set Up Dedicated Platform for Agriculture Start-ups and Small Entrepreneurs

The Government is planning to launch a dedicated cell for agriculture startups as well as small entrepreneurs, an official informed on 19th November 2019.

While addressing the 2nd edition of Conference & Awards for Innovations by Agri Start-ups 'Nurturing Agri Innovations' in New Delhi on Tuesday, the CEO of National Rainfed Area Authority (NRRA), Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Ashok Dalwai said that there are many areas where startups can help Indian farmers reduce cost and improve their income.

Dalwai also stressed upon the need to set up a platform for standardized & structured data that can be accessed free of cost.

He said, "The biggest difficulty in getting data is that there is no data standardization & no structure that can be regularly interpreted. We need to start looking at building up of database related to all the aspects of agriculture & how it can be digitally translated.

He added that a platform need to be developed where different technologies are uploaded & made available to everyone.

Managing Director of Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium Mr. Neelkamal Darbari said that the role of agriculture startups comes at the pre-harvest stage.

She said that the Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs) are still struggling hard to do business in traditional ways. India, at present has around 5,000 Farmers Producer Organizations and they can work as a vehicle for innovation. She added that the interface of technology via FPO system is yet to see some kind of traction.

Mr. Hemendra Mathur, Chairman of FICCI Taskforce on Agri Start-ups and Venture Partner, Bharat Innovation Fund, highlighted the need for start-ups to offer innovative solutions to the farmers to increase their incomes. Emphasizing the opportunities in agri innovations, Mathur said, "We need to build capacity so that innovations can reach farmers. We can unlock value to the tune of US$ 10 billion through agri innovations & the value that gets unlocked goes to farmers."

During the event, a FICCI compendium on agri startups representing 103 case studies was also released.