Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday launched the ₹750 crore
‘AgriSure’ fund to financially support agritech startups, emphasizing the need for both public
and private investment in the agricultural sector. The launch coincided with the approval of
seven agricultural schemes by the Union Cabinet, totaling nearly ₹14,000 crore.
Speaking at the event, Chouhan introduced the integrated Agri Investment Portal,
KrishiNivesh, and the AgriSure fund, which will provide both equity and debt capital to
startups and agripreneurs. He assured that there would be no shortage of funds for agritech
startups, which play a crucial role in modernizing agriculture.
Chouhan highlighted the importance of investment in agriculture to boost production and
value addition. He also mentioned the government’s ₹1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure
Fund, aimed at creating farm-related infrastructure in rural areas. Agriculture, contributing
around 18% to India’s GDP, is seen as the backbone of the economy, with its indirect
contributions being even more significant.
The minister stressed the need for innovation in agriculture, urging small farmers to
collaborate for large-scale farming and underscoring the importance of soil health. He also
introduced the Krishi Nivesh Portal, a platform designed to centralize investment
opportunities and information for various stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
Chouhan presented AIF Excellence Awards to top-performing banks and states for their
efforts under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. Among the awarded banks were State Bank
of India, Canara Bank, and HDFC Bank, while states like Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and
Maharashtra were recognized for their outstanding performance.
