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.
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.
Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat has been appointed as R-ABI under “Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development” programme and ICAR-Directorate 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.
This information was given by Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
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