New Delhi: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today launched the AgriSURE Scheme in New Delhi, marking a major step forward for the agricultural sector. AgriSURE – Agri Fund for Start-ups and Rural Enterprises, is an innovative fund aimed at transforming India’s agricultural landscape. This fund, focused on technology-driven, high-risk, high-impact ventures, is designed to spur growth and innovation in the agricultural and rural startup ecosystem. It is a blended capital fund of ₹750 crore under the SEBI-registered Category II, Alternative Investment Fund. Contributions include ₹250 crore each from the Government of India and NABARD, with an additional ₹250 crore mobilised from banks, insurance companies, and private investors.
The launch event was attended by Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Bhagirath Choudhary and Ram Nath Thakur, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, and other senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance, state governments, leading banks, and key agricultural stakeholders.
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In his keynote address, Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasised the transformative potential of the AgriSURE Fund, highlighting the government’s continued efforts to ensure technological support for every farmer in India. He asserted that the prosperity of farmers would lead to a prosperous economy, as their increased income would drive consumption. He further said that farming is the backbone of the country, with farmers being the lifeblood.
Chouhan reiterated the government’s commitment to empowering the farming community: “Our vision is to empower every farmer, and the launch of the AgriSURE Fund is a testament to our unwavering dedication to the agricultural sector. The government will relentlessly strive to ensure increased production, reduced costs for farmers, remunerative prices, crop diversification, post-harvest loss prevention, and safeguards against crop loss through crop insurance.”
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The event also featured the AgriSURE Greenathon Awards, recognising the most innovative startups developing tech-centric solutions to address challenges across the agri-value chain, from input selection to marketing and value addition. Launched on July 12, 2024, in Mumbai, the Greenathon concluded with a grand finale featuring 10 finalists. Out of 2,000 aspiring agri startups, over 500 prototypes were screened, and the top three—Greensapio, Krushikanti and Ambronics—were awarded winner, runner-up, and second runner-up, respectively, with a total prize pool of ₹6 lakhs.
Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, stressed the crucial role of startups in addressing the challenges farmers face. The event brought together various stakeholders, including representatives from the state governments, banks, the investment community and startups, to witness the launch of AgriSURE, India’s first blended capital fund for agricultural startups and rural enterprises. With the AgriSURE fund, the government aims to drive further investments in the agriculture sector, empowering farmers and boosting the rural economy through accessible and affordable innovative solutions.
