Govinda Rajulu Chintala

The first panel of the Fortifying Farmer Finances track was Amplifying Access Delivering Agri-Financing to Smallholder Farmers which was moderated by Anilkumar SG. The speakers in this panel were Chattanathan Devarajan, Bharati Joshi, Sunil Kumar Tadepalli, Albert Boogaard, and Shantanu Pendsey. The thing about ThinkAg is the audience are as qualified as the panelists, keeping them on their toes. One such question shot out of the audience during our panel was "What percentage of fields are finance today?" This simple question stirred nothing short of a tsunami among panelists as they realized how misguiding the metrics they currently use—"affordability of lending" and "percentage of an organization's contribution to the total value of lending to smallholder farmers"—is..? A panelist shared their experience of finding 42% of farmers being first-time borrowers, and another recalled that 89% of small holder farmers still don’t have access to finance. The moderator urged ThinkAg to write a white paper on the dimension of increasing access rather than being focused on affordability. Stay tuned for more Summit updates! Rabo Foundation Bram Spann 🌱💡Dheeraj Mutreja Ritu Verma Ram Kaundinya Raman Ahuja Hemendra Mathur Sannidhi Srinivasan Abhijit Goswami Dr. Pallavi Tak State Bank of India #ThinkAg #ThinkAgHarvestingTomorrowSummit2024 #foodtech #agritech #futureofagriculture #startupindia #agribusiness #ThinkAgregistration #reserveyourspotnow #ThinkAgIndia #FortifyingFarmerFinances #panelannouncement

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👉 https://lnkd.in/ga6AXMWS The Union Budget 2024, while lauded for its fiscal prudence, has drawn criticism for its lackluster approach to India's agricultural sector. Despite Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's rhetoric about boosting agricultural productivity and resilience, the budget fell short of delivering concrete steps to transform the agrarian landscape. Atleast, this is what some experts believe. #unionbudget2024 #agribudget2024 #agritech #farmers #budgetforfarmers Yerram Raju

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Mr Ritwik Bahuguna, Director, Farlense and Mr Pranav Doshi, Director, Gujarat Agro Infrastructure Mega Food Park Private Limited write for businessline: "Within India’s #agriculture sector, the food processing industry is seen as the engine of growth essential to the sector’s expansion. The #food processing sector must grow at double-digit rates for the agriculture sector to consistently grow at more than 4 percent, to meet the growing #food demands of the nation’s expanding #population." #Read More: https://lnkd.in/gKAqKhXe

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The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has introduced AgriSure, a Rs 750 crore Category II alternative investment fund (AIF). This fund is designed to support early-stage agricultural companies in India, providing a significant boost to the agri-startup ecosystem. The total corpus of Rs 750 crore will be allocated in two main ways: Rs 300 crore will be directly invested in agri-startups, while Rs 450 crore will function as a fund of funds, supporting venture investors in agriculture and allied sectors. Both NABARD and the central government will each contribute Rs 250 crore, with the remaining Rs 250 crore sourced from other banks, insurance companies, and private investors. The fund will be managed by NABVentures, a NABARD subsidiary. AgriSure is designed to operate for a decade, with the potential for extension by two or more years. Its primary objectives are to reduce post-harvest losses by investing in agricultural infrastructure, bridge infrastructure gaps, reduce reliance on intermediaries, strengthen rural economies, and boost farmers' incomes. By enhancing access to infrastructure and resources, the fund aims to empower farmers, increase income, and minimise wastage. The launch of AgriSure underscores the government's commitment to fostering innovation in agriculture and supporting startups that bring fresh ideas and dedication to the sector. #NABARD #AgriSure #AgriStartups #AIF #Agriculture #Investment #StartupFunding #RuralDevelopment #AgricultureInfrastructure #EconomicGrowth

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The ThinkAg Harvesting Tomorrow Summit 2023 shed light on the scope and potential for developing and saturating India’s agricultural ecosystem with innovations and collaborations that enable farmers to avail their due share of price and income. Featuring leading voices from AgTech entrepreneurs, financial institutions, agri corporate leaders and other sector experts, the 2023 summit insights report provides a nuanced picture of the on-ground scenario, challenges with adoption and immense opportunity for innovation and value creation in India’s AgTech sector. Dowload the report to get more insight into these areas. Rabo Foundation Bram Spann 🌱💡 Dheeraj Mutreja Ritu Verma Ram Kaundinya Raman Ahuja Hemendra Mathur Sannidhi Srinivasan Abhijit Goswami This year, Goa's golden sands meet brilliant minds!!! Summit 2024 ignites innovation and opportunity. Register for the ThinkAg Harvesting Tomorrow 2024 Summit to learn how the Agri-food ecosystem has changed in the past year.  https://lnkd.in/dB9-riXn #thinkAg #ThinkAgHarvestingTomorrowSummit2024 #agtech #foodtech #agritech #futureofagriculture #startupindia #agribusiness #agrotech #sustainablefarming #agriinvestors #agritechinsights #summit2023insights

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Does India underestimate its farmers? Farmers are more integrated in and in tune with the ecosystem they are working within than anyone else. Rather than relegating them to a mythical character far removed from practical implementation, we need to tailor solutions in accessible and meaningful ways for them to adopt. In the latest episode of Decoding Impact, Kaushal Jaiswal explains how we can enable farmers across India to adopt and use micro-irrigation as a practical solution to addressing India's water crisis, while also improving their crop yield. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/ejqwzwd4 You can also catch us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or our website! Meera Harish | Srikrishna Sridhar Murthy | Aarti Mohan | Debaranjan Pujahari | Vikram Sharma | Aparna Bhaumik | Ayushi Baloni #Agriculture  #AgricultureForSustainability

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Access to credit is a lifeline for India's marginal farmers, yet 80% lack adequate financial support. With 53% relying on formal channels and 33% on money lenders, addressing these challenges is crucial for boosting agricultural productivity and livelihoods. #AgriculturalDevelopment #FarmerSupport #RuralFinance #IndiaAgriculture #FarmCredit #SustainableFarming #FinancialInclusion #FarmersFirst #RuralEmpowerment #AgriInnovation Transform Rural India Heifer International Grameen Foundation The Agri-Entrepreneur Growth Foundation (AEGF) Syngenta Syngenta India FICCI Development Intelligence Unit

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“Missing the wood for the trees” During my work in the development sector and later in agribusiness consulting, I had the opportunity to engage with one of the successful poultry cooperative in Central India. We were supporting the vertically integrated cooperative business model to tackle some of the fundamental economies of scale problems faced by small holder poultry farmers. As a business consultant there is one key learning that stood with me- the cooperative took an annualized view of their gross margins. The market price of live chicken bird fluctuated during a year (IN 2019- between INR 65 to INR 90 per kg) and cost of production was hovering around INR 60 to INR 75 per kg. Given the business pressure (piling up of inventories) to liquidate stocks, the cooperative sold their stocks with one of the three outcomes:  i) at a profit; ii) at the cost basis; iii) at a loss. The game apparently is to stay in the market- sell stocks throughout the year, so that the cooperative realizes enough margins during upward market, and compensates for the downward market transactions. This strategy of taking an annualized view and playing the game of staying in the market throughout the year- is also adopted by many agriculture commodity traders and large farmers. On the contrary, I have observed that many farmer collectives- harp on making margins on every individual transaction, and they end up doing only a few transactions (locking their capital) in a year. The wisdom of rotating the capital and taking an annualized view on margins is yet to set in among these farmer collectives and developmental organizations- supporting these collectives. P.S- I have also observed some bad actors in the market entice the higher margin sentiment among FPOs by promising higher price than market, but eventually take them for a ride.

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As India embarks on the journey towards Amrit Kaal, the agricultural sector faces a complex array of challenges.  #agriculturesector #farmsector #inflation https://lnkd.in/gZHaPmqd

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FPOs act as a bridge between small farmers and the marketplace by providing collective strength, access to technology, financial services, and market opportunities. By transforming small farms into sustainable, profitable businesses, FPOs play a crucial role in enhancing income growth for rural farmers. we promote FPOs across different geographies in India. All the FPOs promoted by SBL have been successfully grounded with proposed staffs, management committees, functional governing board and have started their business activities for further marketing of their produces. [ FarmerProducerOrganization, FPO, FPOIndia, EmpoweringFarmers, AgricultureGrowth, AgriBusinessFPO, FarmersEmpowerment, sheelbiotechlimited ] . . . #FarmerProducerOrganization #FPO #FarmersEmpowerment #AgricultureDevelopment #FarmerOwnedBusiness #SustainableFarming #OrganicFarmingFPO #FPOForFarmers #FarmersCollective #AgriBusinessFPO #FarmerCooperative #RuralDevelopment #AgricultureCooperative #FPOIndia #sheelbiotechltd

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Year-wise crop production data of 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 (𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲), 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 and 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐳𝐞 in Madhya Pradesh, from two government sources. 1) National - Unified Portal for Agriculture (UPAg) - https://lnkd.in/dBuQJArk 2) State - MP State Agri Department Website - https://lnkd.in/dKQiiKRy Below is what I found: 1) The data of 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 (𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲) production, as per state Agri department is 1.87x to 2.79x (Vs UPAg portal data). 2) The data of 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 production, as per state Agri department is 1.52x to 1.96x (Vs UPAg portal data). 3) 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐳𝐞 is almost same except for 2020-21 where state production data is 1.11x (Vs UPAg portal data). According to State Agriculture Department data, MP produces one-third of India's total wheat and one-tenth of its total paddy, appears inconsistent with other sources. Am I missing something significant, or does one of these 'sources' have better 'sources,' even though both are related to the same ministry. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, are you listening? Please get this anomaly corrected and let the 𝑱𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂 know what's the right data!

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The Farmer Voice Survey 2024 - India SHF Deep Dive delves into the critical issues impacting the country’s smallholder farming community. The findings of the survey, conducted among 1100+ farmers from 16 states, provide a unique glimpse into the current mindset, challenges and aspirations of Indian farmers. Stay tuned for more details from India deep dive. Find the comprehensive global report here: https://bit.ly/47LRpIY #BayerIndia #FarmerVoice2024 #SmallholderFarmers #AgricultureInsights #SustainableFarming #RegenAg #FoodSecurity #ClimateChange

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Policymakers should encourage crop diversification: SBI report New Delhi: Amid demands for a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce, a recent research report by the State Bank of India, suggests government devise alternative mechanisms to support farmers in the upcoming union budget. The report noted that government procurement of crops is limited to just about 6 per cent of the total produce, and there is a need for alternative mechanisms like agriculture markets and village haats to support the remaining 94 per cent of the agricultural output. The report recommended that to create a more inclusive and sustainable framework for supporting Indian agriculture, policymakers should encourage crop diversification, promote high-value and climate-resilient crops, and enhance agricultural marketing infrastructure. Such measures would help address some of the shortcomings of the current MSP system and provide broader support to farmers. The report emphasized that the government address the MSP issue in the upcoming budget by facilitating a direct consumer-farmer interface through the development of more mandis (agricultural markets) across the states. The establishment of these markets would allow farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers, thereby improving their income and market access. The report also suggests that states should take the lead in this initiative by promoting urban haats (weekly village markets), which would further help farmers connect with consumers directly. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dGA4mgJb #India #Report #PolicyMarket #Crop #Agrimandi #ChiniMandi #Farmer #Commodities

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KiVi, short for ‘Kisan Vikas’ (farmer development), is an innovative phygital platform empowering farmers and rural entrepreneurs with timely access to capital they need to thrive. KiVi goes beyond simple loans, offering tailored financial solutions to strengthen every link in the agricultural value chain. By fostering commerce and financial connections between all players, KiVi is formalizing the rural economy and driving sustainable growth. We are thrilled to associate with them and support the team in their vision to make farming a livelihood of choice for millions in India. Here's what they had to say about the association. #testimonial #clientexperience #onwardsandupwards #lendingsolutions #debtfinancing #clientspotlight #midmarket #finance #successstories #financialservices #farming #agriculture #capital

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In a recent CNBC interview, Amith Agarwal, Co-founder and director of AgriWise, discussed the growing role of technology in agriculture finance. He emphasized the interconnectedness of agriculture, agricultural finance, and technology, underlining the vast potential of the agri-finance market. The rise of the agritech sector is empowering farmers to improve the profitability and productivity of their fields through crop diversification and achieve financial stability. The abundance of data in agri-finance also allows NBFCs like AgriWise to go beyond just providing credit to farmers and support them in different aspects of their business. Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dgRgxJez Manjit Singh Mayank Singhal Sarbjeet Singh Japra vishwwavijay singh Bhisham Dhamija Kunal Baradiya #AgriWise #Agtech #Agriculture #Technology

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If you’re serious about growing your agribusiness, the Maharashtra Agribusiness Network Project (MAGNET) could be a game-changer. Here’s the truth many businesses struggle with post-harvest losses and scaling due to funding issues. MAGNET, with support from the Asian Development Bank, is here to bridge that gap for you. What This Means for You: 60% of Your Project Cost Covered Get matching grants up to ₹6 crore. Yes, up to ₹6 crore directly invested in your growth. Increase income, reduce post-harvest losses, and add long-term value to your crops. Eligibility for Core Crops From pomegranates to guava, sweet lime to strawberries grow the crops that matter. But here’s the thing Applying can be overwhelming. One missed document, one misstep and the funding slips away. That’s where I come in. With my guidance & Team Amplus, you don’t just apply; you succeed. We handle everything: - Application prep and documentation - DPR creation - Liaising with government agencies until your grant is secured and disbursed. Don’t let this opportunity pass. If you’re serious about scaling your agribusiness with reliable financial support, reach out. Let’s make this happen.

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If you’re serious about growing your agribusiness, the Maharashtra Agribusiness Network Project (MAGNET) could be a game-changer. Here’s the truth many businesses struggle with post-harvest losses and scaling due to funding issues. MAGNET, with support from the Asian Development Bank, is here to bridge that gap for you. What This Means for You: → 60% of Your Project Cost Covered Get matching grants up to ₹6 crore. Yes, up to ₹6 crore directly invested in your growth. → Increase income, reduce post-harvest losses, and add long-term value to your crops. → Eligibility for Core Crops From pomegranates to guava, sweet lime to strawberries grow the crops that matter. But here’s the thing Applying can be overwhelming. One missed document, one misstep and the funding slips away. That’s where I come in. With my guidance & Team Amplus, you don’t just apply; you succeed. We handle everything: → Application prep and documentation → DPR creation → Liaising with government agencies until your grant is secured and disbursed Don’t let this opportunity pass. If you’re serious about scaling your agribusiness with reliable financial support, reach out. Let’s make this happen.

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