New Delhi, December 9, 2025 - The Millionaire Farmer of India (MFOI) Awards 2025, widely recognised as the "Oscars of Indian Agriculture," successfully concluded its three-day flagship event from December 7-9, 2025, at the prestigious IARI Mela Ground, Pusa, New Delhi.
Organised by Krishi Jagran and co-organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the event brought together thousands millionaire farmers, FPO leaders, agri-startups, agribusinesses, policy makers, representatives from over 25 nations, and eminent scientists, making it the largest confluence of agricultural stakeholders committed to driving rural transformation in India. Over 150 leading brands showcased their innovations, highlighting the robust health and dynamism of India's agri-economy.
The event was held in global partnership with CIRDAP and AARDO, with distinguished support from key industry players including AFC India Limited, CropLife, ICCOWA, FAI, TMA, CropLife India, ACFI, BASAI, and BIPA.
The MFOI 2025 was inaugurated by Chief Guests Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat – Hon'ble Member, NITI Aayog, and Dr ML Jat - Hon'ble Director General, ICAR. They were joined by Guests of Honour Dr Rajbir Singh - DDG Agricultural Extension, ICAR, and Dr SK Malhotra – Vice Chancellor, MHU, Karnal.
The inaugural session witnessed the presence of distinguished dignitaries including Shri JACS Rao - CEO, Chhattisgarh State Medicinal Plants Board; Dr Omveer Singh - Adviser, Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Ltd & NDDB; Shri Kamal Somani, MD, Somani Seedz; Dr CK Timbadia - Vice-Chancellor, GNFOAU; Dr AK Yadav - Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare; Shri Biju Albin - Agronomist, Private Office of HH The Ruler of Dubai; Fmr MC Dominic - Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Krishi Jagran; Mrs Shiny Dominic - Managing Director, Krishi Jagran and Mrs Mamta Jain, Editor and CEO - Krishi Jagran and Agriculture World.
The first session of Day 1 kick-started with "Safe & Healthy Foods - Organics, Naturals, Sustainable Agriculture" organised by ICCOWA, chaired by Dr CK Timbadia - Vice-Chancellor, GNFOAU, and moderated by Shri Manoj Menon - Executive Director, ICCOWA. The distinguished panel included Dr AK Yadav – Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare; Shri Pankaj Agrawal, Co-Founder & MD, Just Organic; Shri Tapan Ray, Founder and CEO, PraTithi Foods, and Shri Prashant Pramod Gupta, a Progressive Organic Farmer, Buldhana, Maharashtra from who explored pathways to sustainable agriculture through organic and natural farming practices.
The second session, "Biological Integration: A Path to Soil Health and Farmers' Wealth," organized by BIPA (BioAgri Input Producers Association), was chaired and moderated by Dr. John Peter - President, BIPA, with expert panelists Dr Shailendra Singh - COO, Zydex; Shri Debabrata Sarkar - Managing Director, Agma Energy; Dr Srinivasan - VP Biologicals, Tropical Agro; and Dr Prafull Gadge, CEO, BIOME, who focused on leveraging biological inputs to enhance soil health while improving farmer profitability. Dr JACS Rao also delivered an impactful presentation on "Beyond Traditional Crops: Unlocking High-Value Income Through MAPS Cultivation", representing the Chhattisgarh State Medicinal Plants Board (CSMPB), highlighting innovative approaches to diversifying farm income through Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Species (MAPS) cultivation.
Day 1 concluded with a grand awards ceremony where honours were presented by Chief Guest Dr Trilochan Mohapatra - Chairman, PPV&FRA, Former DG, ICAR, and Dr Praveen Malik - CEO, Agrinnovate and Former Commissioner, DAHD.
Day 2 featured power-packed technical sessions focused on empowering farmers with cutting-edge knowledge and technology: Agrochemicals for Farmers: Innovation & Safety Strategies. Panelists included Shri Malakajappa Sarawad (Arqivo Crop Solutions), Shri Sanjay Choudhary (Indogulf), Shri Jitendra Saklani (Chambal Fertilisers), and Shri Hitesh Patel (Dharmaj Agro), moderated by Shri Vivek Rastogi (SML Limited). The session explored innovative approaches to enhance crop yields while maintaining safety protocols.
CropLife India hosted a highly impactful session titled “Innovative & Advanced Farming Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture,” bringing together some of the most respected leaders in the crop protection industry.
The panel featured:
- Shri Sudhakaran Rajasekharan, Head - Regulatory Affairs, Fertis India
- Dr Ranjesh Singh, Head - Regulatory Affairs & Product Development, Bharat Certis
- Dr Sushil Pandey, Product Stewardship Manager, Bayer Crop Science
- Dr Garima Pandey, Head - Digital Marketing, Sumitomo Chemical India
The session was expertly moderated by Shri Girish Ahuja, GM - Corporate Affairs & Government Relations, Crystal Crop Protection.
The discussion focused on the role of advanced technologies, modern regulatory frameworks, and responsible crop protection practices in building a more sustainable and productive agricultural ecosystem. The session provided farmers and stakeholders with actionable insights on innovation-driven growth and environmentally conscious farming solutions.
The session on Soil Health: The Critical Pillar of Agriculture brought together leading experts - Shri Pushkal Upadhayay (Mahadhan) and Dr Shailendra Singh (Zydex) - under the moderation of Dr Binaya Kumar Parida (CIL) for an in-depth discussion on transformative soil restoration techniques essential for long-term agricultural sustainability.
The day also featured insightful crop-specific presentations by industry leaders, highlighting innovations and future opportunities across key crops: Shri Tarun Panta (Dharmaj Crop Guard Ltd.) on Maize & Rice, Shri Ashok Jedhe (Advanta Enterprises Limited) on Okra, Shri Sunil Kumar Agrawal (Indo American Seeds) on Tomato, Dr Kishor Gaikwad (Sakata Seeds) on Broccoli – Present and Future Perspective for a Healthy India, and Shri Vivek Rastogi (SML Limited) on Sugarcane. Collectively, the discussions emphasised sustainable practices, technological advancements, and strategic interventions required to strengthen the future of Indian agriculture.
Role of eNWR Pledge Finance in Post-Harvest Management
This highly interactive session featured Shri Samuel Praveen Kumar (Central Warehousing Corporation – Chair & Moderator), Shri Kamlendra Srivastava (CCRL), Shri Shantanu Pendsey (Former CGM, SBI), Shri Anand Chandra (ARYA.AG), and Shri Naveen Barolia (M &C). The panel addressed critical aspects of post-harvest financing and warehouse receipt systems.
The second day evening award ceremony was graced by Chief Guests Shri Bhagirath Chaudhary - Hon'ble Minister of State, Agriculture & FW; Shri Ramdas Athawale - Hon'ble Minister of State, Social Justice & Empowerment; and Dr Rajiv Kumar - Former Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog & MFOI Jury Chair.
Guests of Honour included Shri Girish Chandra Mishra, MOS, Culture & Tourism, UP; Dr Rakesh Chandra Agarwal - Former DDG Education, ICAR; Shri Ricky Thaper – Joint Secretary, Poultry Federation of India; and Shri Shankar Goenka - Managing Director, Krishi Vimaan.
Day 3 commenced with an impactful address by Dr VK Paul, Hon'ble Member, NITI Aayog, setting the tone for meaningful discussions on critical rural development issues.
The third day at MFOI 2025 started with a crucial session on Strengthening Rural India through Vector Management & Public Health, chaired by Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, Hon’ble Member, NITI Aayog. This groundbreaking awareness program on Malaria and Dengue prevention featured an esteemed panel comprising Dr Vatsala Agarwal (DGHS, GNTCD), Dr Himmat Singh (ICMR), Dr Anil K. Goswami (Retd. Professor, CCM, AIIMS), Dr Ankit Chandra (AIIMS–CAPFIMS), Dr Kuldeep Singh (ICMR–National Institute of Malaria Research), Dr Rakesh Yadav (Professor of Cardiology, AIIMS), and Shri Subrata Pal (UPL). The session was widely appreciated for its practical, impact-driven approach, seamlessly aligning public health priorities with rural agricultural development to strengthen overall community well-being.
Financing the Future: Unlocking Capital for Farmers, Startups & Agri-Enterprises, a key session organised by AFC India Limited, was moderated by Shri Mashar Vellapurath, Managing Director, AFC, and brought together top leaders from the banking and financial sector. The distinguished panel included Shri Naveen Kumar Roy (NABARD), Shri SVS Nagendra Kumar (SBI), Shri Sham Sunder Singh (PNB), Shri Khursheed Muzaffar (J&K Bank), and Shri Jiji Mammen (Sa-dhan). This highly interactive session addressed a wide spectrum of questions raised by farmers and stakeholders, offering clear, actionable insights on accessing capital, enhancing financial inclusion, and enabling growth for agri-enterprises and startups.
Dr R.G. Agarwal, Chairman Emeritus at Dhanuka Agritech Ltd., addressed the farmers and cautioned them to stay vigilant against fake fertilisers, emphasising the need for genuine, certified products.
Global Farmer Business Network (GFBN) - Opportunities for Domestic & International Trade
The GFBN session emerged as a landmark platform where over 20 speakers from across the globe shared success stories and exchanged innovative ideas for expanding agri-business on the international stage. This forum facilitated critical connections between farmer-entrepreneurs, buyers, investors, and policymakers.
Special Administrative Excellence Awards
The event concluded with the presentation of three prestigious awards recognising outstanding administrative leadership in agriculture:
- Administrative Excellence in Livelihood Development through Private Investors in the Agriculture Domain
Mrs Leena Kamlesh Mandavi, IAS (District Collector - GPM, Chhattisgarh) - Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihood
Shri Abinash Mishra, IAS (District Collector - Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh) - Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Environment and Rural Livelihoods
Shri Abhinav Kumar, I.F.S. (Divisional Forest Officer, Mungeli Division, Chhattisgarh)
About MFOI
The Millionaire Farmer of India (MFOI) Awards celebrate the extraordinary journey of farmers who have emerged as successful entrepreneurs and wealth creators. The initiative recognises that modern farmers are not just food producers but dynamic business leaders driving India's economic growth and rural transformation.
MFOI 2025 successfully reinforced its position as the premier platform for celebrating agricultural excellence and driving forward the agenda for a sustainable, profitable, and technologically advanced future for Indian farmers.
The organising committee, participants, and partners expressed immense enthusiasm and anticipation for MFOI 2026.
