Lok Sabha Question No. 2699 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-14
Subject: Women in Agri-Startups
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel, Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. † 2699

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14 th  DECEMBER, 2021

## WOMEN IN AGRI-STARTUPS

† 2699.  SHRI PARBATBHAI SAVABHAI PATEL: SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) the efforts being made by the Government for more and more inclusion of women in the agriculture startups;
- (b) the measures being taken by the Government to ensure that success stories of progressive  women  farmers  and  agricultural  entrepreneurs  reach  other  women  so that other women get encouraged; and
- (c) the measures being taken by the Ministry to ensure that the women farmers of Gujarat get the maximum benefits of the agriculture startups?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a):   This Ministry has launched a component called 'Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development'  under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY-RAFTAAR) in 2018-19 with an objective to promote innovation and agri-entrepreneurship by providing financial support and nurturing  the  incubation  ecosystem.  This  Ministry  has  appointed  five  Knowledge  Partners (KPs) as Centres of Excellence and twenty four RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) from across the country for implementation this programme. So far, 173 women startups/ entrepreneurs have been supported under the 'Innovation and Agri-

Entrepreneurship  Development'  programme.  Besides,  the  Indian  Council  of  Agriculture Research (ICAR) has been supporting Agri-based startups under the project called National Agriculture  Innovation  Fund (NAIF)  initiated in  year  2016-2017.  So  far,  50  Agri-Business Incubation  Centers  (ABICs)  have  been  established  and  are  operational  in  ICAR  network under NAIF scheme. Potential women startups/ entrepreneurs can avail benefit from these programmes.

(b):   Success stories of progressive women farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs are publicized through electronic, print and  social  media  and  by  organizing workshops etc. A webinar on 'Women in Agri-startups: Creating Value with Supply Chain Management' was organized during Mahila Kisan Diwas 2021 on 22.10.2021. An   e-book  depicting  success  stories  of  75  progressive  women  farmers  and agripreneurs was also released during the event.

(c):      Anand  Agricultural  University,  Anand,  Gujarat  has  been  appointed  as  R-ABI under 'Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development' programme  and  ICARDirectorate of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Research, Anand and ICAR- Directorate of  Groundnut  Research  (DGR),  Junagarh  have  been  set  up  as  Agri-Busines Incubation  (ABI)  centers  under    National  Agriculture  Innovation  Fund   of  ICAR  to ensure  that  women  farmers  of  Gujarat  get  the  maximum  benefit  of  agriculture startups.

***