Sowing Seeds of Innovation: India’s Rs 106.25 Crore Boost to Agri-Startups

New Delhi, India — India’s agricultural sector, a cornerstone of its economy and livelihood for millions, is witnessing a transformative phase with the government’s significant financial infusion into agri-startups. Since the fiscal year 2019-20, the Indian government has allocated a substantial Rs 106.25 crore to support 1,524 agri-startups, marking a strategic move to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in this vital sector.

Unveiling the Program’s Scope and Impact

Under the “Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development” program, part of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the initiative aims to promote innovation and agri-entrepreneurship. This is achieved by providing both financial and technical support, nurturing a vibrant startup ecosystem within the country. Five Knowledge Partners (KPs) and 24 RKVY Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) have been engaged to train and incubate these startups.

Financial Support and Distribution

The financial support extended under this program is tiered, with up to Rs 5 lakh provided at the idea/pre-seed stage and up to Rs 25 lakh at the seed stage. These funds are aimed at helping entrepreneurs and startups in agriculture and allied sectors to launch their products, services, and business platforms. The financial assistance, totaling Rs 10,625.08 lakh, has been released in installments to these startups through various KPs and R-ABIs from 2019-20 to 2023-24.

Diverse Areas of Focus

These agri-startups are engaged in various areas of agriculture and allied sectors, including precision agriculture, farm mechanization, agri-logistics, supply chain, and more. Their work spans from the ‘idea’ stage to ‘scaling’ and ‘growth’ stages, contributing significantly to the diverse needs of India’s vast agricultural landscape.

Encouraging Figures

The breakdown of the funding over the years reveals a consistent and growing commitment to this cause. The year-wise details are as follows:

  • 2019-20: 58 startups with Rs 3.13 crore
  • 2020-21: 588 startups with Rs 27.43 crore
  • 2021-22: 277 startups with Rs 20.34 crore
  • 2022-23: 253 startups with Rs 24.35 crore
  • 2023-24: 348 startups with Rs 31.00 crore

Conclusion

This initiative by the Indian government is a significant step towards modernizing and invigorating the agricultural sector through technology and innovation. By backing agri-startups, the government is not only boosting the economy but also paving the way for sustainable agricultural practices that are vital for the country’s future.

Share:

MORE STORIES

## Navigating the AI Revolution: 5 Trending Google Ads Topics for Marketers As Google Ads continues its rapid evolution, staying ahead of the curve is paramount for digital marketers. The platform’s increasing reliance on artificial intelligence, shifting privacy landscapes, and the introduction of new campaign types are creating a fresh set of challenges and opportunities. Here are five top trending blog topics that delve into the most critical areas of Google Ads today. ### 1. The Rise of the Machines: Mastering AI-Powered Campaign Types Google is unequivocally betting on AI to drive the future of its advertising platform. A key area of focus for marketers is understanding and mastering AI-driven campaign types like Performance Max and Demand Gen. These campaigns automate targeting, bidding, and ad creation across Google’s entire inventory. A deep dive into strategies for providing the right inputs to these “black box” models, interpreting their performance, and understanding how to guide the AI for optimal results is a crucial topic for advertisers looking to succeed in this new era. ### 2. Beyond the Click: Navigating the New Landscape of Measurement and Attribution With the impending deprecation of third-party cookies and a growing emphasis on user privacy, the way advertisers measure success is undergoing a fundamental shift. This has propelled topics like enhanced conversions, consent mode, and the integration of first-party data to the forefront. Marketers are actively seeking guidance on how to implement these privacy-centric measurement solutions to gain a more accurate and holistic view of their campaign performance in a world without granular user tracking. ### 3. Creative is the New Targeting: Leveraging AI for Compelling Ad Experiences In an automated world, the creative has become a key differentiator. Google is investing heavily in AI-powered tools that can generate and optimize ad copy, images, and videos. Blog posts that explore how to effectively use these generative AI features to create a high volume of diverse and engaging ad creatives are gaining significant traction. This includes best practices for providing creative inputs, A/B testing AI-generated assets, and ensuring brand consistency across automated campaigns. ### 4. The Evolution of Search: Adapting to a More Conversational and Visual SERP The traditional keyword-based search is evolving. Users are increasingly employing longer, more conversational queries, and Google is responding with a more visual and AI-driven search engine results page (SERP). This shift requires a re-evaluation of traditional keyword research and bidding strategies. Trending discussions revolve around how to adapt to this new reality, including the role of broad match keywords, the importance of high-quality creative in visual search formats, and strategies for capturing intent in a more conversational search landscape. ### 5. Future-Proofing Your Strategy: The Growing Importance of a Full-Funnel Approach As automation takes over many of the manual levers within Google Ads, the focus is shifting towards a more strategic, full-funnel marketing approach. Advertisers are looking for insights on how to effectively use different Google Ads campaign types to guide users through the entire customer journey, from initial awareness to final conversion and retention. This includes discussions on how to structure campaigns to complement each other, allocate budgets across the funnel, and measure the impact of upper-funnel activities on bottom-line results.

Google Ads is in the midst of a quiet revolution—one driven by artificial intelligence, privacy-first regulations, and a rapidly changing search landscape. For digital marketers,

Send Us A Message