Lok Sabha Question No. 2754 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-05
Subject: Support to Agri Starts and Agri-Preneurs
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Gopal Jee Thakur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2754

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05 th  AUGUST, 2025

## SUPPORT TO AGRI STARTS AND AGRI-PRENEURS

2754. Shri Gopal Jee Thakur:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps  to  support  starts-ups  and  agri-preneurs engaging in the field of agriculture and allied sectors;

(b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  support  through  providing  special  debt  and Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) by giving direct sharing support to them; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAM NATH THAKUR)

(a) to (c): Yes,  Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers'  Welfare  is  implementing 'Innovation  and  Agri-Entrepreneurship  Development'  programme  under  Pradhan  Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) from 2018-19 to support starts-ups and agripreneurs engaging in the field of agriculture and allied sectors  . 5 Knowledge Partners (KPs) and 24 RKVY Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) provide training & incubate startups for implementation of this programme. Under the programme, financial support upto Rs. 5 lakhs 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.  Till  date  , financial assistance of Rs. 146.38 crore have been released to 1943 agri startups.

Besides this, National Agriculture Innovation Fund under Indian Council of Agricultural Research  (ICAR)  promotes  startup  ecosystem  through  its  50  Agri-Business  Incubation Centres  (ABICs)  in  ICAR  network  institutes.  These  ABICs  provide  technical  support  to start-ups and agri-preneurs engaging in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.

The  Government  has  taken  concrete  steps  to  support  start-ups  and  agri-preneurs engaged in agriculture and allied sectors through the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) launched in July 2020 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The AIF Scheme entails a financial  outlay  of  Rs.  1  lakh  crore,  aimed  at  facilitating  medium  to  long-term  affordable credit  through  various  lending  institutions  for  setting  up  post-harvest  management infrastructure  and  viable  farming  assets  in  a  decentralized  manner  across  the  country. Scheme  specifically  envisions  promoting  innovation  and  technology-driven  solutions  in agriculture.  AIF  offers  loans  at  a  capped  interest  rate  of  9%  along  with  an  interest subvention of 3% per annum on loans up to Rs. 2 crore, available for a maximum period of 7 years. As on 30 th  June 2025, a total of 47,962 agri-preneurs have been extended loans amounting to Rs. 48,330 crore, while 2,303 start-ups have received loans worth Rs. 2,182 crore through various banks and other lending institutions. The Government has created a SEBIregistered Category-II Alternative Investment  Fund  (AIF)  namely  Agriculture  Funds  for  startups  and  Rural  Enterprises (AgriSURE). This was launched on 3 rd  September, 2024, aims to support early-stage agristartups  and  rural  enterprises  by  providing  capital  assistance  in  equity  and  debt.  Its specific  objectives  include  fostering  innovation,  promoting  high-risk  and  high-impact activities,  and  advancing  technologies  such  as  Artificial  Intelligence,  precision  farming, climate - friendly solution and digital agriculture. The fund also seeks to improve farmers market access and create rural job opportunities. With a total corpus of Rs. 750 crore, the AgriSURE Fund is blended in nature and has been jointly established by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development (NABARD), with each contributing Rs. 250 crore. An additional Rs. 250 crore will be raised from other financial institutions, including private entities. The fund is being managed by NABARD's wholly-owned subsidiary, NABVENTURE.

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