Need to promote natural farming and use of recycled water in agriculture: MoS, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, GoI

Mr Bhagirath Choudhary, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt of India said that agriculture has played an important role in India’s economy, contributing to inclusive growth, rural incomes and food security. “The government is committed to keeping the agriculture sector viable, innovative and sustainable through its policies and schemes,” he added.

Addressing the ‘6^th edition of FICCI Agri Startup Summit & Awards’, held on 05 August 2024, at FICCI, Federation House, New Delhi, Mr Choudhary emphasized that there is a need to focus on promoting natural farming along with the use of recycled water in agriculture. “It is imperative that we should focus on promoting natural farming along with conserving water. We need to not only conserve water but promote the use of recycled water in farming. The government is working on interlinking the rivers in India recycling of water is necessary in farming,” he highlighted. Healthy soil is the foundation of sustainable agriculture. We must promote practices that enhance soil health, ensuring a resilient future for our farmers and our nation, he also added.

The Minister while applauding FICCI for organizing the Agri Startup awards and said that this platform not only celebrates the remarkable achievements of agriculture startups but also provides vital support and incentives, encouraging innovation and growth.

Mr Choudhary also stated that the programs like ‘Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) – Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RATAAR) launched by the government aims to strengthen the efforts of farmers, risk mitigation and agribusiness entrepreneurship. We have supported a few thousand startups since the scheme launched in 2018, he noted.

Speaking on the Agri startups, the Minister said that the government’s initiatives, like the Startup India program and the recently announced Agri-Sure Fund by NABARD, are designed to provide financial and technical support to agritech startups. “Agri-Sure represents a significant leap forward in our efforts to support innovative and sustainable solutions,” he added.

Mr Hemendra Mathur, Chairman, FICCI Task Force on Agri Startups and Technology said that through these awards, we have supported around 150 startups in agriculture sector. “We now have a healthy startup eco-system in agriculture sector. There are around 6,000 active startups actively working in the sector by helping farmers in various segments including productivity, financing, insurance, helping in marketing and buying quality inputs for farming,” he added.

Ms Jyoti Vij, Director General, FICCI said that AgriTech startups are revolutionizing Indian agriculture, serving as a beacon of innovation and hope. The agritech sector has the potential to generate 10 million jobs in rural India, she added.

Mr Arvind Jha, Associate Director, Agri-food-agribusiness practice, One Consulting, PwC India shared the perspective on the emerging trends and unleashing potential of Agri startups in India.

Event Highlights and Moments:

During the event, FICCI Agri Startup Awards were announced.

List of Award winners: