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The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development recently launched the AgriSURE Fund and the Krishi Nivesh Portal at PUSA, New Delhi

About AgriSURE Fund

1.TheAgriSURE Fundis a new initiative by the Indian government aimed at supporting agricultural start-ups and rural enterprises.

Focus area: It mainly focuses on technology-driven, high-risk, high-impact ventures.

2.Objective-To provide comprehensive support to agripreneurs by establishing a financing ecosystem that offers both equity and debt options, enhancement of the farm produce value chain, creating rural infrastructure, generating employment, and supporting farmers’ producer organizations.

3. Funding Pattern– The initial corpus of ₹750 crore, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, NABARD, and other financial institutions, is managed by NABVENTURES, a wholly owned subsidiary of NABARD.

4. Significance:

i) Using information technology in agriculture will boost labor productivity and increase income and profits for small and marginal farmers, who constitute 85% of the farming population.

ii) As food prices have been a major factor in inflation, boosting agricultural productivity will enhance food availability at affordable prices and ease pressure in macroeconomic management.

Krishi Nivesh Portal:

Launched on December 5, 2022.

The Krishi Nivesh Portal serves as a centralized, one-stop platform for agricultural investors to access various government schemes and benefits.

• To simplify agricultural investments and enhance transparency.

To streamline the investment process and enhance transparency, making it easier for both domestic and international investors to contribute to India’s agricultural growth

Key features

i) Investors can find information and apply for multiple government schemes related to agriculture and allied sectors.

i) The portal provides guidelines for market entry strategies, regulatory frameworks, and steps to set up operations in India.

iii) Special provisions and training programs are available to empower women in agriculture.