AGRIBUSINESS: Agri-preneurship

AGRIPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES (BUDGET 2023-24)

Keywords:

Agripreneurship Innovation Supply Chain Business Model GDP Agripreneur Social Entrepreneurship

Abstract:

India’s economy is predominantly agricultural. More than 65% of the Indian population (directly or indirectly) depends upon agriculture for their livelihood and funds to 16–17% of the GDP of our country. India is primarily agricultural, hence Agripreneurs play a very important role in the agricultural value chain. They add value and contribute significantly to increasing the agricultural GDP but the very insufficient growth rate in the agricultural sector has been a challenge for rural development in India. The majority of the population living in rural areas are unable to reap the benefits of the developmental schemes offered by the Government.

The agricultural markets across the globe are witnessing a massive change. The international trade of agricultural products is increasing. The global market system is growing in larger proportions. Local smaller farms and farmers are competing against some of the world’s largest agricultural corporations. Small farmers are trying to commercialize their produce without great success. They need more production systems for increasing their product line but are unable to do so due to a lack of larger production equipment and facilities.

AGRIPRENEURSHIP

THE NEED FOR AGRIPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT:

In reference to these imbalances and with the objective of achieving a balanced economic development, it is becoming inevitable to revisit the Agripreneurship model for holistic rural development particularly in India. There is a need and scope for farmers to become entrepreneurs and adopt an Agripreneurship model that will help them create their local groups which will help them in increasing their production through collaboration and not as individual local farmers. Agripreneurship is going to play a very important role in the growth and development of the national economy by increasing the income level and employment opportunities in rural as well as urban areas.

The major Agripreneurship opportunities are in agricultural inputs, farming processes, and technology, agriculture output processing, and other agriculture allied sectors like dairy development, poultry, horticulture, agriculture, and so on. Activities like diversification, precision farming, high–tech agriculture, global marketing, organic farming, etc. are also adding sustainable value.

Apart from creating value chains, Agripreneurs need to focus their actions on the market and not just the production by using different available systems for approaching the global market. Agripreneurs have to find a system that is going to suit their activities the most depending on the clusters/value chain in which they operate and dominate. They can achieve this by increasing the reach of their value chain by adding more important players (stakeholders) such as Suppliers, Warehouses, financial services, and transport and logistics service providers.

For a successful Agripreneruship model farmers need to create their value chains for increasing efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness by linking farmers, to processors and markets.

Agripreneurship has the potential of generating growth, diversifying income, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities in rural areas.

This paper explores the basic concepts of Agripreneurship and the needs for Agripreneurship development in India.

MEANING OF AGRIPRENEURSHIP

Agripreneurship is a sustainable, community-orientated, directly marketed agriculture product and service. By sustainable agriculture, we mean a holistic, systems-oriented approach to farming that is focused on the interrelationships of social, economic, and environmental processes for delivering agricultural produce.

Agripreneurship is synonym with entrepreneurship in the field of agriculture and refers to the establishment of agribusiness units in the agriculture and allied sector

AGRIPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT:

AGRIPRENEURSHIP AND AGRI-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

Based on the escalating needs, agro-climatic conditions, and available resources, Agripreneurs have many commodities options to choose from and can also provide jobs to agriculture graduates who are looking for the jobs for the following reasons:

1. The Organic and Quality Food Market is expected to grow 15-25% per year.

2. Low-cost production methods offer Competitive advantages for many primary production activities such as Rain-fed farming, tropical fruits, and vegetables, livestock, animal husbandry, aquaculture, etc.

3. Easy access to funding as private players are now willing to invest in agri-business at all levels of operations like Reliance, Bharati, etc.

4. Agricultural and Horticultural products are locally available.

5.?The agricultural small scale industries do not require huge infrastructure and complex scientific technologies.

6. The agricultural small-scale Industries are economically viable and ecologically sustainable too.

7.???Agripreneuship development has the huge potential of creating new employment opportunities for rural youth.

8. Agripreneurship also, help in checking the migration of rural youth from villages to urban centers and helps in improving the living conditions of farmers by providing an alternative source of income. Many Government and Non-government agencies are supporting agripreneurship development.

9. The Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India has launched a program for setting up Agri-clinic or Agri-business Centre to offer paid professional services for the enhancement of agricultural production and income of farmers.

10.?Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium (SFAC), New Delhi, imparting free start-up training to graduates in Agriculture, or any subject allied to Agriculture.

11.?National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), extending financial assistance through banks for setting up agri-business centers.

?AGRIPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Most of the Agripreneurial opportunities are at the Input stage, Farming stage, Value chain, output processing, marketing stage, and related services. With Govt. incentives and financial assistance, the scope and potential of Agripreneurial opportunities are increasing. There are very promising opportunities for the Agripreneurial process in the areas like bio-pesticides, bio-fertilizers, vermicomposting, testing and amending soil, etc.

The increasing focus on organic farming has opened many opportunities. In seed development and production there is a lot of scope for research and development. The gradual shift in the usage of natural manure and pesticides offers tremendous opportunities for the production and marketing of bio-pesticides, eco-friendly agrochemicals, and natural manures.

There is an opportunity to find innovative methods for balancing the use of fertilizers and pesticides, agrochemicals, adopting multiple cropping and crop rotation to protect and preserve and enhance the quality of soil, using the Agri -Tech machines to reduce the cost of cultivation and drudgery of labor, etc.

Post-harvest opportunities in the areas of the value chain, output processing, and marketing. The realignment of agricultural supply chain management offers new business models. There are opportunities in the area of distribution and logistics.

In the areas of farming vegetables, fruits, food grains, pulses, oilseeds, etc., developing greenhouse concept, dairy and poultry development, animal husbandry, herbal plantation, packaging of Agri products, establishing food processing units and cold storages, sericulture, horticulture, and many more there are tremendous opportunities in Agripreneurship development.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Agripreneural development has the potential of supporting resource infrastructure that will grow and create an urban-like setup and facilities for local inhabitants in rural areas. Agripreneurship will also help in alleviating poverty by reducing unemployment. It also helps in checking the migration of rural youth and workforce and thus reduces population pressure on major urban cities. Agriculture as a sector has a huge potential to contribute to the national income by providing employment and income to the larger & weaker section of the society.

Agripreneurship is the need of the hour for making agriculture a more attractive and profitable venture. It is evident that there is a great scope for entrepreneurship in agriculture and this potentiality can be tapped only by effective management of agri- elements such as – soil, seed, water, and market needs.

Agripreneurship is fast emerging as a necessity for improving the production and profitability in agriculture and the allied sector.

Agripreneurship development will help the Indian economy in achieving self -sustainability in food production and balanced economic growth. A sustainable Agribusiness model can promote job-led economic growth in rural areas by binding science and technology for environmentally sustainable and socioeconomic viable opportunities with the potential of transforming the face of rural India.

CA Vinod Kr Sharma

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