Karnataka to bring in new policies for agritech start-ups soon: Minister

Karnataka government will soon come out with new policies for agritech start-ups. Considering Bangalore as a hub of start-ups and to develop congenial ecosystem for agri start-ups in Karnataka, the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka has constituted a committee to formulate a policy framework on agritech start-ups and operational guidelines. The committee has submitted the policy documents to the government which is in the process of releasing it shortly, BC Patil, Agriculture Minister, Govt of Karnataka said today.

Addressing a virtual session of FICCI Summit & Awards for Agri Start-ups, Patil said, agri start-ups can bridge the missing links in the agricultural value chain and deliver efficient, innovative products, technologies and services to the farmers and consumers.

The minister further said that the food and agriculture practices and enterprises in India are poised for transformational changes in line with the new government policies. “Agriculture has been rapidly evolving into agribusiness in terms of approach and structure,” he added.

Patil said that since 2014, start-ups have been coming in a big way in India and by 2018 we had more than 50,000 start-ups. “In 2019 alone 9,300 start-ups emerged, however only 500 agri start-ups could take off so far,” he emphasised.

He further congratulated FICCI for its continued support in developing the desired agri ecosystem in promoting agritech start-ups in India, and especially in Karnataka. “The selection process for the awards was on competitive mode and with an evaluation process through three-tier assessment by a jury comprising of experts in the sector,” Patil said.

Speaking on the occasion, TR Kesavan, Chairman, FICCI National Agriculture Committee & Group President, TAFE said that every agri start-up has its own strength and there is a need to create a dedicated cell for agri start-ups. “Karnataka is known as the start-up capital and the state is focusing to invite global companies to invest in India and boost the start-up ecosystem in India,” he added.

Hemendra Mathur, Chairman, FICCI Task Force on Agri Start-ups said, “Bangalore is the tech capital of India and we must think towards building a centre for excellence in the agriculture sector with the kind of talent and resources that we have in Karnataka.

Pravesh Sharma, Advisor, FICCI; Chairman, FICCI Task Force on FPOs and Co-founder and CEO, Kamatan Farm Tech emphasised on having state level agri start-up policy for different states and this should be supported by a dedicated organisation to promote agri start-ups.

Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said that the FICCI Award for agriculture start-up showcases the innovative interventions of the agri sector. The award recognises the best of the best, but each applicant is a winner. “The agriculture ecosystem is witnessing a wave of entrepreneurship with disruptive and futuristic ideas. FICCI is committed to the development of agritech sector for the last three years,” he added.

Representatives from KisanKraft and PwC who were also the Knowledge partners of this initiative congratulated FICCI and the winners. The Award ceremony ended with the note that Agri Start-ups are the future of Indian agriculture and their innovations can go a long way in improving farm economy too.

3rd edition of FICCI Awards for Agri Start-ups was also announced during the event

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