The programme was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by the chief guest and IARI dignitaries. Soon after, Dr. Akriti Sharma welcomed all the guests & participants and gave a brief about 'Pusa Krishi AgriInno connect'. Through a presentation, she explained the participants about Pusa Krishi’s UPJA & ARISE training programs.
Mr Ashish Kumar Srivastava congratulated the Pusa Krishi team for organizing such an important event for agri startups and IARI scientists. He then highlighted the importance of agriculture in India’s economy and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) - Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation (RAFTAAR), a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare to ignite Agripreneurship and transform agriculture. He said that it is important to nurture young agripreneurs with innovative ideas, generate employment, create a robust business incubation ecosystem, enhance farm income, and bridge the gap between technology and farmers.
Dr AK Singh in his speech talked about the current agricultural scenario in India adding that the agri exports reached USD 50 billion in the last financial year and are expected to grow further. Dr Singh said that carbon credit is the new market for startups to explore that will ultimately benefit our farmers in the long run. He further said that it is time that we focus on the ‘startup culture in agriculture’ - encourage and support these young & innovative minds for the holistic development of the entire country.
Dr Anupama Singh underlined the role of institutions in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture. She said IARI believes that by empowering the next generation with knowledge and skills, we contribute to the evolution of the agricultural sector.
Organized by Pusa Krishi, the event provided a platform for agri startups to directly connect with the IARI scientific fraternity, showcase their innovative products, and highlight their current progress through presentations. In addition, a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was also signed between Pusa Krishi, ZTM-BPD Unit, IARI, and 31 startups that have been selected to receive grant-in-aid support under RKVY-RAFTAAR, Pusa Krishi cohort 2023-24.
