Kerala to launch AgriNext to bring farmers into startup ecosystem

Thiruvananthapuram |The Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is launching a new project called AgriNext, aimed at bringing the state's farming community into the startup ecosystem.

According to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's Office, the initiative will benefit farmers, startups, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

AgriNext forms part of the Kerala Climate Resilient Agri Value Chain Modernisation Project (KERA) --a major programme led by the Department of Agriculture with World Bank support.

The goal, officials said, is to promote growth in the state's farm sector and encourage climate-resilient farming practices.

"Farmers, FPOs, agricultural experts and entrepreneurs can identify key problems in the agriculture sector and share them with startups," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a Facebook post on Monday.

Startups capable of addressing these challenges will be able to develop solutions, while research institutions, agricultural universities, and other organisations will also have the opportunity to collaborate with the AgriNext project.

Only startups with innovative ideas or technologies to solve farming-related issues can apply, the government said.

The technologies must be useful to both farmers and entrepreneurs involved in value-added agricultural products.

Applications can be submitted through the KSUM online portal, and the selected startups will be incubated with support from the KSUM Project Implementation Unit. Each chosen startup will receive a grant of Rs 25 lakh.

The Startup Component of KERA -- designed to set up an Agri-Tech Incubation Facility in partnership with KSUM -- is a key part of the project.

It aims to identify 150 major agricultural challenges within the next five years and help startups create new technologies, products, and ideas to solve them.

"This initiative is expected to directly benefit around 40,000 farmers in Kerala," the CMO added.