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4 AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Volume 03 | Issue 1 | March 2022
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AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com AGRO EDIT 5
Favouring Organic
over Conventional
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to reverse the years of soil degradation and
in a recent webinar, included ‘natural groundwater contamination due to unfettered use
farming on mission mode’ as one of the of chemical fertilisers and water.
seven ways to make farming in India modern and
smart, it indicated the government’s intention to Large-scale use of chemical fertilisers and water,
encourage natural farming. in the case of some cash crops like sugarcane,
began in India with the launch of the Green
This is not the only indication of the Revolution in the early 1970s. After five decades,
government’s intention. A little before that the there seems to be a realisation of the negative
PM had talked of bringing agriculture out of the effects of the chemical fertilisers. However, the
chemical labs and taking it to the lab of nature. Green Revolution made India self-sufficient in food
Niramala Sitharaman, the Union Finance Minister, grain production and transformed the nation into
in her 2022-23 budget speech, too, mentioned the a major exporter of several types of grains. That is
government’s commitment to natural farming. the key issue in this whole debate of natural versus
chemical farming.
The possible reason for the stress on shifting
from chemical to natural farming could be the Skeptics contend that natural farming falls
exorbitant cost of subsidising fertilisers, which short in terms of productivity. They believe natural
is constantly growing. It is estimated to be Rs 1.3 farming will drastically reduce production and a
trillion in 2020-21. Shifting to natural farming populous country like India that's home to a large
may arrest this expenditure. Another likely reason number of poor, will be doomed, in more ways than
for promoting the shift could have been the need one.
to attain a net zero emissions target for 2070 as
announced by India at the COP 26 meet in Glasgow They all cite Sri Lanka's tryst with the organic
in November 21. The FM has been talking about way, which aimed to be the world’s first totally
natural farming in her budget speeches even earlier organic farming country this year, but was forced to
also and this was the third time she mentioned discontinue its chemical fertiliser ban due to food
it in her budget speech this year, but hasn't shortage and a subsequent price rise. In many areas
allocated funds for it, in this budget. A scheme was of the island nation, harvest was just 60 per cent of
introduced last year to support natural farming. normal and the government now will have to pay
about $200 million in compensation to nearly a
Andhra Pradesh has taken a lead in promoting million farmers. Other experts claim that organic
natural farming on a large scale and it has been farming gives only 60-75 per cent of yield when
promoting this since 2015. As a result, till 2020, compared with chemical based farming.
10.5 per cent of all farmers were enrolled in the
natural farming programme and 7.5 per cent of A proponent of Genetically Modified (GM) crops,
those enrolled, started practicing natural farming demanding lifting of ban on GM crops in India,
on about 0.45 million hectare of land. Taking a cue has reportedly released a paper claiming that the
from AP, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, shift to natural farming will reduce production and
Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh have started 'starve' India.
promoting natural farming. In these states too, over
two lakh farmers are estimated to have adopted Of course, this claim too will have to be carefully
natural farming. In all, 0.65 million hectare of examined considering that the person is favouring
land in 11 states is being cultivated using natural GM crops. Nonetheless, production will remain
farming, with an expectation to reach 2 million a key issue (or an obstacle) in promoting natural
hectare by 2025. farming, until an infallible solution is in place.
Farmers are adopting natural ways of farming Dr. Milind Kokje,
Chief Editor
[email protected]
6 CONTENT AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
CONTENT
COVER 19 Agriculture, not
unlike other sectors,
Why Proactive continues to be male
Feminism must dominated in India.
Prevail in Agri However, due to
various agricultural
policies introduced by
the government, this
picture is changing
and more women
agro entrepreneurs
are actively entering
this sector. But, is that
enough? What steps
can be taken by, not
just the government,
but also by the new
crop of enterprising
women agripreneurs?
We shall unearth just
that, and more.
Encouraging Women Don’t Women Agripreneurs
Agripreneurs Deserve a ‘Fair Shake’?
25 30 33What’s Holding Back
Women Agripreneurs?
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com CONTENT 7
CONTENT
“People's mindset that SPEAKING WITH "Stereotypes that
restricts women from teach women to
excelling in their work 36 43 'play it safe' must
be shed"
must change”
Gubba Deepthi,
Dr Sangeeta Chopra,
Chief Growth Officer,
Principal Scientist, Indian Gubba Cold Storage
Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
"Future of women 38 46 "Incubation
entrepreneurs in agri need centres will
boost women
better acknowledgment agripreneurs"
and support"
Dr Sangita Ladha,
Devleena Bhattacharjee,
Business Director, Rivulis
Founder, Numer8 Analytics Irrigation India
"The Future 41 48
belongs to
Women in Agri IFPRI's webinar stresses on women
empowerment in agri sector
space"
Why Gender Equality and Quality
Dr Renuka Diwan, Nutrition for Women is Crucial
Co-Founder and CEO, BioPrime
Solutions
REGULARS
Editorial.....................................................05
Your Views...............................................08
Policy News.............................................09
Finance News..........................................13
Livestock news.......................................15
Startups News........................................17
s Lets talk agri............................................50
8 YOUR VIEWS AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
TOP VIDEO
Amitabh Kant,
CEO, Niti Aayog
explains the role
of pulses in food
security and
sustainability
Scan the QR Courtesy- IPGA Feedback
Code
Scan the QR Prof Rajeev Informative article on startups
Code Varshney, in food crop processing
Scan the QR Research Program
Code Director, ICRISAT The article ‘Startups to propel Food Crop
underlines the processing’ published in February 2022
importance issue is very informative. It gives useful
of genomic information on various aspects of food
sequencing crop from harvesting to last mile delivery.
to boost crop
varieties Sanay Takawale, Mumbai
Courtesy- IPGA Useful info on management
of food crop residue
Dr P G Wasnik,
Dean MAFSU, The February 2022 issue cover story
Nagpur talks about has provided very interesting and useful
the opportunities information on effective utilisation of food
in dairy sector in crop residue. It will help in making food
Vidarbha region crop production more profitable besides
the export and processing.
Dhara Kholgade, Nagpur
Special issue on Horticulture
AgroSpectrum should publish a special
issue on horticulture business which
will focus on farming practices, new
technologies, horticulture value chains
and business models. It will be useful for
FPOs and budding entrepreneurs in agri
industry.
Sukhad Deshmane, Pune
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com POLICY NEWS 9
Ag Ministry estimates record food grains
production for 2021-22
The production of major crops for the year 2021-22 127.93 million tonnes. Production of wheat during
have been released by the Ministry of Agriculture 2021-22 is estimated at a record 111.32 million
and Farmers Welfare. Record food grains tonnes. It is higher by 7.44 million tonnes than
production of 316.06 million tonnes is estimated. the average wheat production of 103.88 million
As per second Advance Estimates for 2021-22, total tonnes. Production of coarse cereals is estimated
food grains production in the country is estimated at 49.86 million tonnes, which is higher by 3.28
at a record 316.06 million tonnes which is higher million tonnes than the average production. Total
by 5.32 million tonnes than the production of pulses production during 2021-22 is estimated
food grains during 2020-21. Total production at 26.96 million tonnes which is higher by 3.14
of rice during 2021-22 is estimated at a record million tonne.
Rs 10L alloted for Centre reduces agri-
drone purchase for cess for CPO to 5%
farm machinery
training institutes The Government of India has reduced the
agri-cess for crude palm oil (CPO) from
In a major boost to promote precision farming 7.5 per cent to 5 per cent with effect from
in India, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and February 12, 2022. After a reduction of the
Farmers Welfare has issued a guideline to make agri-cess, the import tax gap between CPO
drone technology affordable to the stakeholders. and Refined Palm Oil has increased to 8.25
The guidelines of Sub-Mission on Agricultural per cent. The increase in the gap between
Mechanization (SMAM) have been amended the CPO and refined palm oil will benefit
which envisages granting 100 per cent of the cost the domestic refining industry to import
of agriculture drone or Rs 10 lakh, whichever is crude oil for refining. The rate of import
less, as a grant for the purchase of drones by the duty on refined palm oils at 12.5 per cent,
farm machinery training and testing institutes, refined soyabean oil and refined sunflower
ICAR institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and state oil at 17.5 per cent will remain in force up
agriculture universities for taking up large scale to September 30, 2022. This measure will
demonstrations of this technology on the farmers’ help in cooling down the prices of edible
fields. The Farmers Producers Organisations oils which are witnessing an upward trend
(FPOs) would be eligible to receive a grant up to in the international market due to lower
75 per cent of the cost of agriculture drones for its availability and other international factors.
demonstrations on the farmers’ fields. A contingency
expenditure of Rs 6,000 per hectare would be
provided to implementing agencies that hire drones
for demonstrations from Custom Hiring Centres,
Hi-tech Hubs, drone manufacturers and startups.
AN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF AGRICULTURE COMPANIES, AGRICULTURE
TECHNOLOGY & ITS SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES
COVERING THE MAJOR
CROPS IN THAILAND
RICE
8-9 CASSAVA
CORN
SEPTEMBER 2022
COCONUT
KHONKAEN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TEA
& EXHIBITION CENTER (KICE), KHONKAEN, THAILAND
www.agriculturethai.com
MORE INFORMATION Supported By : Conference By : Organized By :
(+66) 2 513 1418 Ministry of Agriculture O ce of Agricultural Department Department of Rice Department JuzTalk (Thailand) Fireworks Media (Thailand) Co.,Ltd.
[email protected] and Cooperatives Economics of Agriculture Agricultural Extension Part of The Fireworks Trade Media Group
A BOUT THE EVENT
The 3rd edition of Agri Expo Thailand 2022 was the unique agriculture exhibition is Thailand’s dedicated
agriculture technology event that brings together an international congregation of agriculture
companies and also its supporting industries gathered in the heart of the agriculture industry in Khon
Kaen, Thailand to showcase the latest developments in Thailand’s massive agriculture industry.
Fireworks Exhibitions and Conferences which boasts of a proven track record in the region for
Agriculture events such as:
AGRI Indonesia - PALMEX Indonesia - PALMEX Thailand - PALMEX Africa - PALMEX Malaysia
World Sugar Expo - Sugarex Thailand - SugarTech Indonesia - Sugarex Africa
Opportunities In The Thai Agriculture Industry:
- Agriculture Companies Looking For Upgrades of Machinery and tractors.
- Agriculture Companies Looking Towards Mechanization
- Thai Farmers on the look-out for latest harvesting tools and equipment. Including the latest planting
methods, fertilizers and planting solutions.
FACTS OF THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY IN THAILAND
Rice
Rice production in Thailand represents a significant portion of the Thai economy and labor
force. Forty percent of Thais work in agriculture, 16 million of them as rice farmers by one
estimate.
Corn
According to the Foreign Agricultural Service of the USDA, rice and corn production in
Thailand is predicted to reach a record 21million and 5.1million tonnes respectively in the
year 2018-19. High corn production is driven by the government’s direct payment program
to encourage rice farmers to switch to corn, particularly in the non-irrigated offseason rice
areas in the northern region.
Cassava
Cassava, an agro-industrial crop with a well-developed industry and market in the country,
is considered one of Thailand’s most important economic crops. Supplying around 67% of
the global market, Thailand was ranked as the world’s largest cassava products exporter
with annual production of 33 million tons in 2016.
Coconut
As of 19 April 2018, Thailand is the world’s #9 producer for coconuts with 1,010,000 tons
produced.
Tea
Thailand is not among the top 10 producers of tea worldwide, but it is nonetheless an
important source of tea. What Thailand lacks in quantity it makes up in quality. Thailand
produces green and oolong teas; some of these teas are among the most expensive and
most desired teas, and are consumed in regions such as Taiwan with a strong demand for
high-quality teas. Thailand also produces organic teas
12 P O L I C Y N E W S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Indo-Israeli ties grow APEDA's export
stronger in agri destination grows
to 205 countries
Naor Gilon, Israeli Ambassador to India called
on the Union Minister of Agriculture and The Agricultural
Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar at Krishi Products Export
Bhawan. The minister expressed satisfaction at Development
the functioning of 29 Centres of Excellence in 12 Authority (APEDA)
states which are producing more than 25 million celebrated its 36th
vegetable plants, over 387,000 quality fruit plants Foundation Day recently. APEDA actively
and can train more than 1.2 lakh farmers per supported the government in taking the
year. Tomar informed that it has been decided export of agricultural products to $20.67
to convert 150 villages around the Centres of billion in 2020-21 from $0.6 billion in 1986
Excellence (CoEs) into Villages of Excellence when it was founded. APEDA also helped
with technical assistance from Israel, out of expand the export basket to 205 countries.
which 75 villages are being taken up in the first The share of APEDA exports ($20.67 billion)
year to commemorate the 75th year of India’s constituted 49 per cent of overall agri-
independence where India and Israel will work product exports in 2020-21 out of which,
together. The Ambassador of Israel Gilon showed cereals and fresh horticulture comprised
interest in further collaboration with ICAR and 59 per cent, cereal preparations and
making available the latest technologies available miscellaneous processed items 23 per cent
with Israel. He proposed the certification of CoEs and animal products 18 per cent. The target
to further enhance the standards and quality of given to APEDA in the current financial year
services being provided to the farmers. (2021-22) is $23.7 billion, out of which more
than 70 per cent i.e. $17.20 billion has been
achieved till January 2022, and the remaining
target is expected to be completed within the
stipulated time period.
NBB with NAFED, TRIFED organise
conference on beekeeping
National Bee Board (NBB) recently organised in an organised way for dealing with adulteration in
a national conference on the beekeeping honey. NBB has launched Madhukranti Portal for
sector in collaboration with the National traceability of honey and other beehive products
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation namely; bee pollen, bee wax, bee venom, propolis,
of India (NAFED), Tribal Cooperative Marketing etc. NBHM has the aim to create a network of
Development Federation of India (TRIFED) & honey testing labs covering all parts of the country
National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). More and for this 100 FPOs of beekeepers will be proved
than 600 participants from government as well as as the centre.
the private sector, State Agricultural Universities
(SAUs)/ Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs),
beekeepers and other stakeholders involved
in beekeeping occupation, etc. attended the
conference. National Beekeeping & Honey Mission
(NBHM) will help in filling gaps in infrastructural
facilities for honey and linking marginal beekeepers
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com F I N A N C E N E W S 13
BASF India post 31% sales growth in Q3
BASF India Limited has registered sales of Rs 32,917.6
million for the third quarter, which ended on December
31, 2021, as compared to Rs 25,065.4 million in the
corresponding quarter of the previous year, representing a
growth of 31 per cent. The company reported profit before
tax (before exceptional items (PBT) of Rs 1,372.2 million
as compared to PBT of Rs 1,965.7 million in the prior-
year quarter. For the nine months ended on December 31,
2021, the company registered sales of Rs 97,101.7 million,
as compared to Rs 67,527.6 million for the corresponding
period of the previous year, an increase of 44 per cent.
PBT stood at Rs 5,688.5 million for the nine months ended
December 31, 2021, compared to PBT of Rs. 2,672.6 million
for the corresponding period of the previous year.
Centre rolls out India’s tractor
initiatives to promote export soars with
Natural Farming phenomenal 72%
growth
The Government of India has taken a slew of
initiatives to promote Natural Farming through India’s export of Tractors rose by more than 72
Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) per cent to $1025 million during April-December
introduced during 2020-21. A sub scheme of 2021 compared to $594 million during April-
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for December 2013. The major destination for export
the promotion of traditional indigenous practices of tractors is the U S A (25.2 per cent), Nepal (7.3
including Natural Farming. The scheme mainly per cent), Bangladesh (6.5 per cent), Thailand
emphasises on exclusion of all synthetic chemical (5.4 per cent) and Sri Lanka (5.3 per cent). India
inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling has been seeing consistent growth in exports. It
with major stress on biomass mulching, use of cow may be noted that India’s merchandise exports
dung-urine formulations and other plant-based in January 2022 increased by 23.69 per cent to
preparations. Under BPKP, financial assistance $34.06 billion over $27.54 billion in January
of Rs 12200/ha for 3 years is provided for cluster 2021; recording an increase of 31.75 per cent over
formation, capacity building and continuous $25.85 billion in January 2020. The government
hand-holding by trained personnel, certification has taken a number of proactive and effective
and residue analysis. measures since 2014 to boost India's exports.
A new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2015-20 was
launched on April 1, 2015.
14 F I N A N C E N E W S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
UPL Q3 FY22 revenue up 24% YoY
UPL Limited has recently delivered another quarter of
reported financial results strong business performance
for the third quarter of FY22 in a challenging environment
(Oct-Dec 2021). Q3 FY22 with growth across all
revenue witnessed robust regions except India. The
growth of 24 per cent Year- company is confident of
on-Year (YoY) to reach Rs continuing this business
11,297 crore, led by healthy momentum and ending
growth in volumes (+11 per the fiscal year 2022 on a
cent) and better product strong note. The company
realisations (+13 per cent). has undertaken multiple
Further, Q3 FY22 EBITDA initiatives to re-imagine
grew by 21 per cent YoY to Rs 2,666 crore sustainability and in Q3, it successfully raised a
as against Rs 2,209 crore in Q3 FY21. UPL sustainability loan of $700 million.
Bhagiradha Chemicals Praj registers PAT of
posts net profit of Rs Rs 37.05 Cr in Q3FY22
8.91 Cr for Q3FY22
Praj Industries (Praj) announced its unaudited
Hyderabad-based Bhagiradha Chemicals & financial results for the quarter and nine months
Industries has recently posted net profit of Rs 8.91 ended December 31, 2021. In Q3 FY22, the
crore for the period ended December 31, 2021 as consolidated income from operations stood at Rs
against net profit of Rs 8.34 crore for the period 585.64 crore, PBT was at Rs 50.25 crore for the
ended September 30, 2021. For the third quarter, period and PAT was at Rs 37.05 crore. For 9M
the company reported sales of Rs 1,001.07 million FY22, the consolidated income from operations
compared to Rs 692.52 million a year ago. stood at Rs 1,504.31 crore, PBT is at Rs 126.83
Revenue was Rs 1,003.47 million compared to Rs crore for the period, PAT is at Rs 92.60 crore. The
694.07 million a year ago. Net income was Rs 89.2 consolidated order backlog as of December 31,
million compared to Rs 70.92 million a year ago. 2021, stood at Rs 2,605 crore which comprised
For the nine months ended December 31, 2021, 80 per cent domestic orders and 20 per cent
Bhagiradha Chemicals has reported total income international orders. During the third quarter
of Rs 298.45 crore as compared to Rs 220.97 Praj entered into an MoU with IOCL to explore
crore. Furthermore, the company has posted net opportunities in cleaner and greener sources
profit of Rs 24.86 crore for the 9 months period as of energy by exploring avenues such as the
against net profit of Rs 16.00 crore. production of Alcohol to Jet (ATJ) fuels, 1G & 2G
Ethanol, Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) and r elated
opportunities in the Biofuels industry.
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com L I V E S TO C K N E W S 15
Heifer International, Cargill Marine products
& Walmart Foundation to
invest in FPOs exports grow
Heifer International, Cargill and Walmart Foundation 35% to $6.1B
announced the expansion of “Hatching Hope: Accelerating
Incomes Through Diversification into India” to improve Exports of marine products
financial independence for women in the Anantapur and registered a growth of 35
East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. With demand per cent to $6.1 billion
for eggs and poultry meat on the rise across India, backyard during April-December 2021
poultry farming is an economically sustainable agri-business (Provisional) as compared to
that is easy to undertake and can provide high returns in a $4.5 billion during the same
shorter time frame. The project offers new income-generating period in the year 2020. As
activities and leadership positions within farmer producer compared to April-December
organisations (FPOs) for women, challenging the social 2019 ($ 5.5 billion) and
and cultural norms that limit their financial independence. April-December 2014 ($ 4.4
Hatching Hope: Accelerating Incomes Through Diversification billion), exports of marine
will partner with local organisations – Andhra Pradesh Mahila products registered a growth
Abhivruddhi Society, Grameen Vikasa Kendra and Snehakunja of 12 per cent and 38 per cent
– over 32 months through March 2023 to introduce backyard respectively. In December
poultry to an additional 8,918 smallholder farm businesses, 2021, exports of marine
leveraging Hatching Hope’s existing infrastructure and products touched $720.51
programme expertise. million, registering a growth
of 28.01 per cent over $562.85
Kings Infra harvests million logged in December
antibiotic-free 80 gm L 2020. Top five export
Vannamei shrimps destinations in April-November
2021 (percentage share) are:
Kings Infra Venture, a technology-driven sustainable the US (44.5 per cent), China
aquaculture company, has set a world record in the growth of (15.3 per cent), Japan (6.2 per
pond-based aquaculture of L Vannamei shrimps by harvesting cent), Vietnam (4 per cent)
shrimps weighing 80 gms (210 mm). L Vannamei, commonly and Thailand (3 per cent).
known as the white leg shrimp, are native to the eastern Pacific Frozen shrimps constitute the
Ocean, from the Mexican state of Sonora to as far south as major share in India’s marine
northern Peru. The record-breaking growth was achieved products exports.
in normal earthen ponds by applying SISTA360 protocols
developed by the R&D wing of the Kings Infra. SISTA360 is
an integrated system based on symbiotic technology using
principles adopted from BIOFLOC, Aquamimicry, and IMTA
methods of aquaculture and adapted to Indian conditions.
The achievement gains further significance as the farm used
only antibiotic-free feed, probiotics, and natural supplements.
Ingredients such as curd, jaggery, turmeric, moringa leaves,
garlic, tamarind, and other ingredients were used regularly
under this protocol to improve immunity and disease resistance
as well as improve growth rates.
16 L I V E S TO C K N E W S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
CIFT transfers Dept of Fisheries
organises webinar on
'fish waste to aquatic animal diseases
manure' tech to Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry
and Dairying, Government of India organised a webinar on
Kerala Agriversity National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases: A
Step towards Establishing Disease
The ICAR-Central Institute of Governance System in India.
Fisheries Technology (CIFT), The event was attended by more
Kerala signed a Memorandum than 150 participants including
of Understanding (MoU) officials of the Department of
with the Kerala Agricultural Fisheries, ICAR institutes, fisheries
University for transferring a officials of different States/UTs,
novel technology on conversion faculties from state agriculture,
of fish waste to fish manure. veterinary and fisheries universities, entrepreneurs, scientists,
To mark the occasion, the farmers, hatchery owners, students and stakeholders from
institute organised the aquaculture industry across the country. During the technical
Technology Demonstration session, Dr Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries
Programme in collaboration Science), ICAR, New Delhi, stated that India is a vast country
with the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, with state divergent levels of capabilities and fisheries priorities.
Kumarakom, Kottayam Hence surveillance programmes for monitoring and controlling
under the Kerala Agricultural spread of diseases of national and international concern has
University under the Scheduled become a primary requirement for effective health management
Caste Sub Plan Component. and ultimately for sustainable aquaculture.
P Prasad, Minister for
Agriculture, Government India showcases dairy &
of Kerala applauded the fisheries at EXPO2020 Dubai
institute’s efforts to develop the
promising and apt technology As part of India’s efforts to showcase the country’s investment-
for converting the fish waste friendly policies and growth opportunities in agriculture and
into feed and manure. The allied sectors at EXPO2020 Dubai, Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional
minister emphasised that the Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, invited
technology will help ineffective the startups and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to
management of the huge submit their proposals to the ministry, and assured them
volume of unhygienic fish waste that they would be considered for providing equity grants,
dumping in the fish markets management costs, and other available support measures. Likhi
and processing/peeling said, “The primary purpose of our participation at Expo2020 is
industries throughout the state. to benefit the small and marginal farmers who need economies
The technology will help in the of scale, collectivisation, and more forums to come together,
best utilisation of the nutrients create synergies connect with markets both domestic and
found in fish waste for the international.” As per the ministry, the ‘Food, Agriculture and
preparation of feed or manure. Livelihood’ fortnight (February 17 - March 2, 2022) will comprise
various sessions which will be presided over by representatives
from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry
of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of
Cooperation. In addition, an array of activities has been planned
during the fortnight under the key themes of millets, food
processing, horticulture, dairy, fisheries, and organic farming
and the vast investment opportunities these sectors offer.
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com S TA RT U P N E W S 17
‘Yes Bank Agri Infinity’ Samunnati to
programme for startups goes live
set up weather
YES Bank, one of the fastest growing banks in India has announced
the launch of an annual startup enabler programme ‘Yes Bank stations for
Agri Infinity’ on February 14, 2022. The programme seeks to co-
develop digital financial solutions for the food and agriculture FPOs
ecosystem by mentoring entrepreneurial ventures in the sector.
Starting from February 14 to March 31, 2022, the programme will Agritech firm Samunnati is
last up to six months. Yes Bank Agri Infinity is an Agri-Fin-tech setting up weather stations for
enabler programme, tailor-made for co-evolving and accelerating Farmer Producer Organisations
innovative, tech enabled, digital financial solutions in the Indian (FPOs) to collect data that
food and agri domain. Through this programme, the company can be used to structure
aims to nurture innovation by blending startup ingenuity with insurance products for the
its expertise to deliver transformative solutions in the food and members of these collectives.
agri space. The programme includes, analysis of startup’s current Recently Samunnati had hit
digital financial solutions/cash and transaction management and the Rs 10,000 crores Gross
hands-on advice on implementation of financial solutions from a Transactional Value (GTV)
banking perspective. mark across its agri commerce
and agri finance business.
Stellapps bags ‘National Furthermore, 50 per cent of
Startup Award 2021’ in this GTV came in over the last
animal husbandry 18 months, the company said
in a statement. The company
Stellapps Technologies has won the ‘National Startup Award currently works with about
2021’ by #StartupIndia in the Animal Husbandry sector for 1500 FPOs or farmer collectives.
its effort in digitising the dairy sector in India. The dairy tech The cumulative membership of
startup was honoured through a virtual ceremony in the presence these FPOs is about 6 million
of Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry. smallholder farmers. On the
Stellapps is one of the 46 startups announced as winners of the demand side, the company
National Startup Awards 2021 along with one incubator and one works with about 3500 agri
accelerator. As a part of the award, the founders of Stellapps were enterprises. Samunnati sees
commended with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. The Department for a lot of traction in terms of
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) conceived making the value chains operate
the National Startup Awards appreciating the efforts of enablers at a higher equilibrium by
that are building innovative products or solutions and scalable removing the working capital
enterprises, with high potential of employment generation constraint.
or wealth creation, demonstrating measurable social impact.
Stellapps has been recognised for its innovative tech solutions in
digitising and strengthening the dairy farming processes
18 S TA RT U P N E W S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Bharat Krushi Seva to bring app-based
platform for farmers
Pune-based startup Bharat Krushi Seva believes in for farmers, where farmers can increase their
digitising the agriculture industry by integrating productivity using its cumulative set of services
Internet of Things (IOT) implementation. starting from soil testing, personalised crop
The leading IT company in the agricultural specific weather monitoring and alerting
field provides an online platform for system, personalised crop consultancy
farmers to opt for new technologies. for early prediction of pest and diseases,
Bharat Krushi Seva has a certified credit services to buy the inputs and
and skillful group of domain experts, connectivity with bulk buyers for market
agriculture and agribusiness consultants, linkage. With this initiative, in 2019 the
IT professionals, and marketing specialists company started working with 1,000 farmers
having vast experience in their respective fields.
The company is building an app-based platform on building the algorithm of data analytics and its
proof of concepts.
Omnivore, AgFunder Nurturing innovations
publish India AgriFood imperative for agri
Startup Report development:
Dr Mohapatra
Mumbai-based Omnivore, an agritech
venture capital firm, has recently announced The 4th edition of FICCI Agri Startup Awards were
the publication of the ‘India Agrifood announced during an event along with the release
Startup Investment Report FY2020-21’ in of FICCI-PwC Knowledge report ‘Agri startups
partnership with Agfunder, a venture capital
firm. According to the report Indian agri- – Fostering
food startups saw a year-on-year jump in collaboration to
total funding of almost 100 per cent, securing bring paradigm
a total of $2.1 billion. Seed investments shifts in Indian
into the sector grew 3x as entrepreneurs agriculture’ and
and investors alike tried to make the most publication on
of the opportunity to solve food system Agri Startups
failings that have been pushed under the by FICCI Task
spotlight by the pandemic. Furthermore, the Force members. PwC was the knowledge partner
report mentioned, the number of upstream for this event. Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary
AgriFoodTech deals surpassed downstream (DARE) & Director General, ICAR, Government of
deals in India for the first time. Agribusiness India emphasised that nurturing agri innovations is
Marketplaces, which provide farmers with imperative for agricultural development Hemendra
online access to a variety of offline products Mathur, Chairman, FICCI Task Force on Agri
and services, rose to prominence; leading Startups & Technology & Venture Partner, Bharat
the pack was DeHaat, which raised two Innovation Fund said that Indian AgriTech is
consecutive rounds – a $12 million Series A entering its third phase, which will be driven by
and a $30 million Series B. increasing farmer adoption of new-age innovations
and a significant degree of consolidation in the
startup space. Vivek Chandra, CEO, Global Branded
Business, LT Foods, opined that agri startups
will play a crucial role in bringing in the required
technology and innovation needed to meet the
increasing demand for food as the world population
grows.
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com C O V E R 19
Why Proactive
Feminism must
Prevail in Agri
Agriculture, not unlike other sectors, continues to be male dominated
in India. However, due to various agricultural policies introduced by the
government, this picture is changing and more women agro entrepreneurs
are actively entering this sector. But, is that enough? What steps can be
taken by, not just the government, but also by the new crop of enterprising
women agripreneurs? We shall unearth just that, and more.
The census of 2018-19, conducted by of women in this domain has been scaling
the Government of India, has revealed continuously. In order to further support this
that 71 per cent female workers are increased participation, the Department of Rural
employed in agriculture, followed by Development, Ministry of Rural Development
manufacturing (9 per cent), construction (6 launched a specific scheme called ‘Mahila
per cent) and hospitality (4 per cent). These Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)’, as
figures clearly indicate that participation a subcomponent of DAY-NRLM (Deendayal
20 C O V E R AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Antyodaya Yojana — National Rural Livelihoods value chain. For the future, I wish to see more
Mission). This scheme has been implemented and more reforms, adoption of gender specific
since 2011 with the objective to empower interventions, encouragement, upskilling and
women by making systematic investments to fostering the ability of women to take shared
enhance their participation and productivity, responsibility and ownership in the agricultural
as well as create sustainable livelihoods for and technological community in which we live –
rural women. Despite all these efforts, there are from local to world level."
various challenges such as product awareness,
limited access to credit, lack of infrastructure, Elaborating further, Vishala Reddy, Co-
disproportionately larger levels of deprivation Founder, Minkan Agro Industries said, "Women
in terms of rights to land, to inputs, etc. that in India are increasingly turning to more
needed to be addressed to attract more women ventures to express their individuality and
entrepreneurs to the agriculture sector. creativity. Women entrepreneurs are the future
of Indian agriculture, helping to stabilise our
Participation of women entrepreneurs in economy. Urban and rural women are becoming
every sector of the country has been scaling up an almost equal force in making sustainable
constantly. Agriculture sector is also one of those change and improvements in agriculture.
sectors that is witnessing massive involvement Using a combination of market, technology and
of women in its various operations. With the grassroots innovations and solutions, they are
infusion of technology and rise of startup culture going to drive inventions that are reshaping
in the country, this trend of more women agro India's and the world's food system."
entrepreneurs joining this domain is going to
increase further. Bottlenecks across globe
Commenting further on this inclination, Women make significant additions to
Nikita Tiwari, Co-Founder, NEERX stated, agricultural output and productivity in rural
"Women can shine bright in agriculture if economies all over the world. However, their
economic equality can be brought in. Women, contribution is only an approximate estimation
across the globe, have proved their mark as as it is difficult to assess it, both in terms of
global leaders and for agriculture to come at magnitude and its nature. In addition to that,
forefront, it needs women leaders. Agri sector has this same contribution shows a high degree of
been male dominant but also has been dormant; variation across countries and regions. A female
women could fuel it with new energy raising not farmer in Latin America would make different
only families but farms also." contributions as compared to the one in South
Asia. Similarly, contributions made by a female
Sharing similar thoughts, globally, Himani farmer in Haryana would be very different from
Shah, Co-Founder, Intello Lab said, "There is the one in Odisha.
empirical evidence that women have a decisive
role in ensuring food security and preserving According to a recently published report by
local agro-biodiversity. Hence, the need of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce &
the hour is proactive 'feminisation' across Industry (FICCI), if women in rural areas had
agriculture and its allied sectors. This will enable the same access to technology, financial services
more women to actively engage at all levels - and markets as men, we could see a 20-30 per
production, pre-harvest, post-harvest processing, cent increase in yields on women's farms which
packaging, marketing – of the agricultural
Source: Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE) Source : NSSO Data
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com C O V E R 21
would raise the agricultural output in developing Women beneficiaries of Mahila
countries by 2.54 per cent. The paradox of high Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana
participation of women with limited benefits
from agriculture needs to be countered through • Women farmers from Maharashtra have
various policies and developmental interventions been the biggest beneficiaries with over 18
which place women at an equal footing with their lakhs availing the scheme.
male counterparts.
• Odisha - the second highest beneficiaries
Apart from this, there are a range of barriers (over 14 lakh) followed by Andhra Pradesh
that limit involvement of women entrepreneurs (close to 14 lakh).
and some of them include; poor and inadequate
infrastructure and favourable ecosystem to Highlighting other major hurdles, Nikita
start their business. Unsupportive and complex opined, "The major challenge is to break the
laws and regulations make it more difficult barriers of patriarchy, agriculture has been male
to understand the policies to start a business, dominated ever since inception but there are
coupled with lack of training facilities and other disguised female support systems. The problem
social barriers. becomes multifold also due to the fact that
majority of land ownership still resides with
Shedding some light on possible solutions, male counterparts, this fact cannot be discounted
Vishala stated, " To realise the benefits of women as to why benefits are not trickling down for
entrepreneurship, as well as to make it easier for women. A major challenge has also been lack of
them to join the fast-growing world of innovation implementation and knowledge sessions to allure
and entrepreneurship, private and public women entrepreneurs, a different approach
partnerships are key in developing a grassroot needs to be adopted to help them realise benefits
level eco system with integrated services in in the long run."
various segments: business incubators, business
associations, master trainers, workshops. It is "To increase women’s participation
clear that these provided services make it easier opportunities which are relevant and feasible for
to start and run a business." rural women needs to be identified, in addition
to growing crops, animal husbandry, food
Despite increasing women’s participation as processing, textile, weaving, handicraft, local
self-employed entrepreneurs in agriculture and art, etc. needs to be promoted well. Agriculture
allied sectors, the lack of ownership of assets or still has certain areas which are manual labour
collateral leave them ineligible for a majority of intensive, we need to necessarily push women to
bank loans which are necessary to finance agri perform well in these areas. Animal husbandry,
inputs and implements. livestock and dairy are the few areas that intrigue
most of the women agripreneurs owing to better
"Seeking out initiatives and policy reforms, Return on Investment and organised structure.
targeted training initiatives for women on topics Women are able to obtain better credit facilities,
such as leadership, institutional structures and stable market price and market linkage via
governance, business management, marketing, collection centres," she added further.
etc. and interventions where more women are
involved in key decision making processes, will The good part is livestock and dairy are such
go a long way to removing the hurdles faced by
women agripreneurs," Himani Shah.
Source : NSSO Data Source: Periodic Labour Force Survey, 2018-19 GOI.
22 C O V E R AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
areas that are already considered as successful "Some historians believe
models in allied agricultural services that show that it was women who first
the positive convergence of female participation domesticated crop plants and
and the benefits they get from it. Dairy is one thereby initiated the art and
such area where over 73 per cent of livestock science of farming. While men
related work is carried out by women. Out of the went out hunting in search of
22 million people engaged in livestock keeping, food, women started gathering
over 16 million are women. This sector is a seeds from the native flora and began cultivating
classic example of how women's full potential those of interest from the point of view of food,
was harnessed by creating clusters of productive feed, fodder, fibre and fuel."
cooperatives. These cooperatives then ensured
women's access to and control of productive and - M S Swaminathan,
natural resources such as land, livestock and agricultural scientist-economist
credit which strengthened their influence and
social empowerment. Department of Agriculture Cooperation and
Farmers Welfare also provides additional
Government boost to women support and assistance to female farmers under
agropreneurs various schemes mentioned in the ‘Farm Women
Handbook’.
The government has been committed to make
agriculture more inclusive for women through Commenting on these initiatives by the
women exclusive schemes and schemes with government, Vishala stated, "The Government
components specially meant for the females. of India has been running a variety of schemes
The Economic Survey of 2017-18 already stated to encourage women entrepreneurship not
the government's commitment to this cause. just in the agriculture sector but in many other
There are multiple schemes in the 'Farm Women sectors. To reduce the burden of the capital,
Handbook' which are women centric and take several financial schemes have been introduced
into account various needs of the female farmers. through nationalised banks and incubators.
The government also shows commitment However, just the funding is not enough. Women
towards its goal of strengthening the position entrepreneurs also need ecosystem support and
of females in agriculture through MKSP. The market linkages. And awareness of such schemes
scheme identifies females as farmers, and works and reducing the paperwork is also key."
with the objective of capacity building in the
agro-ecological sustainable practices. It has a "As women are the backbone of any
clear vision to reach out to the poorest of poor developed society, it is a great initiative by
households and expand the activities of ‘Mahila the government to build the capacity of and
Kisan’. The scheme strengthens the smallholder provide gender specific interventions for women
agriculture through promotion of sustainable in the agri domain. By providing sustainable
activities such as: agriculture-based livelihoods to rural women,
the government has ensured that women from
• C ommunity Managed Sustainable poor households have the ability to expand their
Agriculture (CMSA) skills and knowledge about the different tools,
technologies and platforms. This goes a long way
• Non Pesticide Management (NPM) in ensuring that women feel empowered and
• Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBMF) secure in engaging with agricultural activities in
• P ashu-Sakhi model for doorstep animal care different ways. I think more such initiatives to
identify and encourage inclusion at all levels are
services needed," said Himani Shah.
• S ustainable Regeneration and Harvesting of
Wave of startups showing new growth
Non-Timber Forest Produce direction
According to the official data and further
reported by FICCI, so far, 36.06 lakh women Like many other sectors, in the agriculture
farmers have benefited through 84 projects in sector as well women startups are paving
24 States and Union Territories. The Centre their way to write a news success story. From
has allotted a total of Rs 847.48 crore towards
implementation of approved projects. The
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com C O V E R 23
Roundup of schemes
Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM)
Policy Component Specific provision (only for women)
Storage 33.33 per cent Subsidy (on capital cost) for women as compared to 25 per cent
Infrastructure for men. Even the maximum subsidy ceiling is higher than that for men.
Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM)
Training Programme Training Programmes on Gender friendly Equipment for Women farmers are
As Beneficiary to be conducted by Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes
At least 30 per cent of the fund allocation was to be made to women
National Food Security Mission (NFSM) At least 30 per cent of the fund
As Beneficiary allocation was to be made to women
Promotion of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Rs 2 lakh per group of 15 farmers
marketing support for value chain integration (to un- registered (for one time support only)
farmer groups, Self Help Groups (SHG) of Women & others etc.
for local marketing of pulses and millets)
National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology (NMAET)
Support for Groups exclusively of women farmer established and supported under Agriculture
Women Food Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Cafeteria as a mandatory activity @ Rs 0.10
Security lakh per group/year to achieve food security at the domestic/household level through
Groups setting up of kitchen garden, promoting off farm activities such as piggery, goat-
(FSGs) rearing, bee-keeping etc.
Support available for at least 2 FSGs/Block.
As Beneficiary At least 30 per cent of total scheme beneficiaries are to be women; and minimum 30
per cent of resources meant for programmes and activities are to be allocated to women
farmers and women extension functionaries.
supporting organic farmers, practicing soilless a human-centered process."
farming, and leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) "Our latest offering Praman, the world’s
to provide seamless storage facilities, these
women agripreneurs are strengthening the largest horticulture exchange, has given the
agritech sector with their startups. The bustling entire trading process an integrated digital
startup ecosystem is hitting the nail on the makeover. By bringing technology to the smallest
head by innovating and creating new ideas in of the farmers, Praman doesn’t just boost their
agricultural practices. This is but obvious after income but also empowers all farmers, traders,
all, the country is known for its agrarian economy and consumers of the agriculture industry with
with 70 per cent of the population engaged in digitalisation and sustainability across the
farming activities. globe. Such kind of innovative solutions not only
promotes hassle free businesses but also attract
Elaborating further on the subject, Himani women entrepreneurs to get themselves hooked
said, “Technology is tangible and is a great to this sector," she added further.
enabler. I have always believed it can and should
have a profound impact on fundamental human Most women entrepreneurs in agro business
needs. And recognising the potential application are attracted towards the food processing and food
areas and challenging the status quo is the key to service industry. The strength and intelligence of
women, hard work, commitment and perseverance
24 C O V E R AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
helps them to succeed in a male dominated "There is empirical evidence
industry. Their multitasking capabilities and that women have a decisive
familiarity with food processing helps them to role in ensuring food
grasp the fundamental nature of a business that is security and preserving
built upon producing safe, high quality foods. local agro-biodiversity.
Hence, the need of the hour
In order to assist these budding women is proactive 'feminisation'
agripreneurs, Vishala, with her firm Minkan Agro across agriculture and its allied sectors. This
Industries, is establishing farmer field centers at will enable more women to actively engage at
the dryland regions to help ease out the burden all levels - production, pre-harvest, post-harvest
of women farmers and also establish market processing, packaging, marketing – of the
linkages for them. Each center will have diverse agricultural value chain."
services like a seedbank, small food processing - Himani Shah, Co-Founder, Intello Lab
unit, knowledge center and access to markets.
"Women entrepreneurs
To connect women farmers with IoT are the future of Indian
solutions, Nikita’s venture NEERX, is helping agriculture, helping to
farmers in bringing precision practices from stabilise our economy.
sowing to harvest stage using IoT and data Urban and rural women are
analytics. Firms help farmers improve yield and becoming an almost equal
reduce input cost by crop stage interventions to force in making sustainable
adopt climate smart approaches in farming. change and improvements
in agriculture. Using a combination of market,
Roadmap ahead technology and grassroots innovations and
solutions, they are going to drive inventions
The broader picture of women entrepreneurs that are reshaping India's and the world's food
in the agro sector clearly suggests that most of system."
these agropreneurs hail from the unorganised - Vishala Reddy, Co-Founder, Minkan Agro
sector. Hence, it becomes very essential to
bring them under the umbrella of the organised Industries
sector. This step will help the policy makers to
carve fruitful and beneficial norms, policies and "Women can shine bright
schemes considering them as one unit. Apart in agriculture if economic
from this, demands such as easy access to credit equality can be brought in.
limit, passing of business loan with minimum Women, across the globe,
documentation, of women entrepreneurs have proved their mark
working in the periphery of organised sector, as global leaders and for
more incubators in the country that encourage agriculture to come at
women led enterprises, access to quality forefront, it needs women leaders. Agri -sector
resources and ecosystem needed to be addressed has been male dominant but also has been
on the priority basis. dormant; women could fuel it with new energy
raising not only families but farms also."
Women must have preferential treatment - Nikita Tiwari, Co-Founder, NEERX
under government schemes such as Fertiliser
Subsidies, Farm Loan Waivers, Crop Insurance, Targeted exposure of women to the services
Free Electricity for Tubewells, and even that can be availed for the agribusiness with
possibly the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. transparent and unbiased inclusion during the
Since we want to encourage greater degree of sanction of services like subsidy, credit etc. will
ownership exercised by women, we can put an enhance their participation and contribution.
eligibility criterion requiring land titles to be Exclusive support like personal and professional
either possessed by a non-male (women or third development by recognising their capabilities is
gender), or have at least 50 per cent shared very important to increase women's contribution
ownership by non-males, making an exception in agribusiness. These are the few parameters
for male owners who do not have a living spouse that need to be scaled in order to attract more
or mother. The challenge would be to ensure women agropreneurs and in the future, there
adequate coverage while avoiding leakages. is a great possibility that these players will turn
the table around and make this sector from male
dominating to female driving sector.
Nitin Konde
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com A G R I P R E N E U R S 25
What’s Holding Back
Women Agripreneurs?
Indian women play a critical and transformative role in agricultural growth, but they
face persistent obstacles and several constraints limiting their inclusion in agriculture.
Few research studies conducted in India suggest that gender biases and stereotypes,
especially in rural economies, loom over Indian women’s progress in agriculture. While
conditions have improved in recent years, there are still several areas where women in this
sector require support to succeed.
Some reports available online indicate that Self-employment, however, is showing a
women’s participation as self-employed progressive transformation, thanks to the startup
entrepreneurs in agriculture and allied boom in India and not to forget the technology
sectors account for about 25 per cent. development, penetration, and disruption.
The agriculture sector employs 80 per cent of NASSCOM (National Association of Software and
all economically active women in India, which Service Companies), in one of its reports, finds
includes 48 per cent of the self-employed farmers that there are more than 450 agritech startups
and 33 per cent of the agricultural labour force. in India, which is growing at a rate of 25 per cent
Such reports also indicate that women do not year on year. It is expected that much of this
own the land they cultivate on. As per the India growth will be attributed to the result of several
Human Development Survey (IHDS), 83 per cent women-led agri-tech startups contributing with
of agricultural land in the country is inherited by their innovative farmer-oriented solutions.
male members of the family and only 25 per cent
of the women own the land. The Women Entrepreneurship Platform
(WEP) – a Government of India initiative by NITI
26 A G R I P R E N E U R S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Aayog to promote and support aspiring as well (FPO), etc. She is on a mission to train many
as established women entrepreneurs in India, more thousands soon to create 1 lakh rural
is doing its best to promote entrepreneurship livelihoods. Dr Sowmini holds the responsibility
among women. The Directorate of Research as a National Project Coordinator at the bilateral
on Women in Agriculture, and the National project – Indo-German Cooperation on Seed
Research Centre for Women in Agriculture Sector Development is the Executive Committee
(NRCWA) are also working on several schemes (EC) member at Gramabharati NGO.
and programmes to ensure that women remain
motivated to contribute to India’s agriculture Voicing her opinion on the occasion of
industry. International Women’s Day, she says that every
entrepreneur faces challenges over his or her
It will be acknowledged that motivation is entrepreneurial journey. The first challenge
the mantra to get more women to innovate, will always be the level of confidence to start
contribute and inspire other women to be a part a company or any enterprise. She opines
of India’s vibrant agriculture sector. Celebrating women always underestimate their capabilities
this International Women’s Day on March 8, of managing anything, whereas she thinks
2022, six women are highlighted in this story. that women are vested with many capacities
Their opinions are like first hand reports on the of managing people (family), emotions and
ground realities of women’s presence in India’s financials (household finances) and also have
agriculture industry and some solutions to get sensitivity towards any problem and managing
more women into the sector. them very well what may come over at any stage.
Male dominated? Not in agriculture Dr Sowmini Sunkara, says, “Women, by birth,
are good at managing any kind of situation and
Dr Sowmini Sunkara, Agri-Professional always succeed in taking stable decisions. Hence
and Founder & Managing Director of Agrighar everyone should consider having women as
Services, is an experienced rural development founding members to form stable and sustainable
professional trainer cum catalyst where she has organisations. It is not fair to consider women's
trained thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship as an exclusive category. Men
farmers, Self Help Groups (SHG) women, and and women face an equal number of challenges
agriculture students on various concepts related and problems. Though the agri sector is male-
to agri-entrepreneurship, rural livelihoods, Agri- dominated, the actual farm-level works are
Value Chains, Farmer Producer Organisations managed by women. In fact, women should be
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com A G R I P R E N E U R S 27
given more platforms to express their thoughts and safety of produce. Their first step is to make
and also involve them in implementation so that accessible and feasible quality and safety testing
they are empowered and co-guide many other technologies in the agri domain.
entrepreneurs.”
The argument is that women are the ones
Women entrepreneurs like Manasa toiling on the ground, be it as an agri labourers
Gonchigar, a startup Founder and CEO of or as an entrepreneur. Kalyani Shinde Founder,
PureScan AI, on the contrary say that the agri Godaam Innovations, agrees that on the forefront
industry only appears to be male-dominated. it is the male entrepreneur-dominated ecosystem
The ground reality is very optimistic and is but the reality is the females of the family are the
truly gender agnostic and not favourable to any ones actually growing crops on ground. Thinking
particular gender. There is a lot of value to be out loud, she exclaims, “Women understand
added in the agri space by both genders. The equally or rather better than the males in the
perception of discrimination or domination by family about agriculture. So, the view has to
men may be due to traditional thoughts and change and the mindset about letting women
social structures. A woman could be made to lead or make decisions about the crop they have
think twice before entering the agri space because grown is important. Also, in the leadership
of the social structures and thoughts and not the space, there is always a community that can
ground reality. be created by women to help each other and
grow. Entrepreneurship is a roller coaster ride
She sees a very optimistic future for women. journey but you get to learn a lot from it. Women
In her opinion, “I see that true opportunity and entrepreneurs I feel have a lot of potential,
true passion are what everyone takes up these which has already been proven numerous times
days and are not driven too much by social before. I would suggest to the stakeholders not
thoughts or past social structures. To women just women but support all the upcoming new
founders or aspiring entrepreneurs, I would ideas and innovation as these ideas will be the
say two things, one – do not shy away because disrupters of the industry.”
of social structures or surroundings, and two –
work on the actual addition of value to the agri Mentors along with
space and you will prosper as much as any other stakeholders are key
person.”
Citing some pertinent facts about
At PureScan AI, she and team want to change women’s role in agriculture, Bhavna Imran,
the agri-systems to give more value to quality
28 A G R I P R E N E U R S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Communications Leader - South Asia at “Women, by birth, are good
Corteva Agriscience, “While communications at managing any kind of
as a function now has more women, back then situation and always succeed
I used to be the only woman in marketing/ in taking stable decisions.
communications teams. Hence finding the right Hence everyone should
sponsor or mentor in my field who will guide me consider having women as
through my career journey was difficult. It’s no founding members to form
secret that a lack of mentors and advisors can stable and sustainable organizations. It is not
stunt one’s professional growth. We are seeing fair to consider women's entrepreneurship as
an enhanced focus on diversity and inclusivity. an exclusive category.
Yet, the studies state that over 48 per cent of - Dr Sowmini Sunkara, Founder & Managing
women in business find it difficult to build a
healthy support network in male-dominated Director, Agrighar Services
fields. Despite this challenge, women have an
amazing opportunity to collaborate and build “To women founders or
strong support networks. For example, BRGs aspiring entrepreneurs, I
(women resource groups) like Women’s Inclusion would say two things, one
Network (WIN) at Corteva, is a great platform – do not shy away because
for women across the region to come together of social structures or
to explore fresh perspectives on important surroundings, and two –
priorities, understand better the real-life issues/ work on the actual addition
obstacles, explore out of box solutions.” of value to the agri space and you will prosper
as much as any other person.”
At Corteva, Bhavna Imran is responsible for - Manasa Gonchigar, CEO, PureScan AI
building a favourable reputation for Corteva
Agriscience by differentiating the company as a “Women understand equally
trusted and preferred food and agriculture MNC. or rather better than the
She is also responsible for developing strategic males in the family about
relationships with stakeholders across the food agriculture. So, the view has
and agriculture ecosystem to ensure they discover to change and the mindset
newer technologies and solutions and create about letting women lead or
change in a meaningful and lasting way. make decisions about the
crop they have grown is important. Women
According to the UN, by 2050, the global entrepreneurs I feel have a lot of potential,
population will exceed 9.7 billion. Given the which has already been proven numerous times
anticipated growing impact of the climate crisis, before.”
feeding this increased population is the biggest - Kalyani Shinde, Founder, Godaam Innovations
challenge we face today. A large part of the
agricultural sector is devoted to solving this, women in agriculture through the wide array
and Bhavna Imran believes that being a part of of digital and traditional channels can help. All
this industry is extremely humbling for her as a the stakeholders – the government, companies,
woman. local civil societies, and panchayats can come in
support to influence attitudes and laws regarding
Sharing more views, she says, “The agriculture gender discrimination. Deeper interventions are
industry is traditionally male-dominated but required to support women juggling with their
with evolving times and constantly innovating caregiver responsibilities and farming, with
business strategies, we are seeing more female better access to day-care and schooling for their
talent joining the workforce. One of the children, which hinders realizing their role as an
important ways to develop this pipeline of young, agriculturist.”
diverse, highly talented individuals and keep
these groups motivated is presenting to them Dr Anjali Nigam, Professor & Head
role models from whom they can learn, imbibe, Incubation Center, Meri Colleges, IP University
and grow. To empower women in agriculture, and identified, sponsored & trained as High
a continued momentum of change is essential. Performing High Potential Woman Entrepreneur
Increasing awareness about the significance of in Emerging Regions of Asia Pacific by UNITAR
UNWomen UNCTAD has a different take on
the situation. She says, “I am urging corporate
and industry to support women-led startups
with problem statements for all aspects of their
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com A G R I P R E N E U R S 29
business, especially where women participation “While communications as
is less like supply chain, manufacturing and a function now has more
technology-intensive areas for more women women, back then I used
entrepreneur’s participation and empathy-driven to be the only woman in
innovations, led by women startups. I believe marketing/communications
that for a woman-led agri startup, a better teams. Hence finding the
workable approach would be to first identify an right sponsor or mentor in
area of intervention that is really needed and of my field who will guide me through my career
interest to her, then get into family and friends journey was difficult. It’s no secret that a
for seed funding and then go out into the market lack of mentors and advisors can stunt one’s
to do a first and test of the idea. If the idea is professional growth.”
workable and there is an existing need for it, get - Bhavna Imran, Communications Leader -
connected with a corporate through reference, in South Asia, Corteva Agriscience
a similar space and work with them to develop
the minimum viable product (MVP). A mutual “I am urging corporate and
revenue sharing model could be later worked at industry to support women-
or the innovator may sell her innovation to the led startups with problem
corporate as per its valuation and move ahead statements for all aspects
towards another social need. Since the chances of their business, especially
of failure get reduced to a large extent, the inertia where women participation
of women entrepreneurs (would take a beating) is less like supply chain,
and we can actually see more and more women manufacturing and
entering the space of agri-tech as well.” technology-intensive areas for more women
entrepreneur’s participation and empathy-driven
Giving another broader perspective to women innovations, led by women startups.”
entrepreneurship, Romita Ghosh, Founder and - Dr Anjali Nigam, Professor & Head Incubation
CEO, MedSamaan and Admirus says, “One of the Center, Meri Colleges, IP University
first things to do is to get more role models who
can inspire girls in the country to pursue science, “One of the first things to do
technology, engineering and mathematics is to get more role models
(STEM). While we have made giant strides in the who can inspire girls in the
last decade, the divide is still prevalent in rural country to pursue STEM.
India. Yet that is where the biggest scope is for While we have made giant
women in STEM to do something that will bring strides in the last decade, the
paradigm shifts in our country’s economy. Today, divide is still prevalent in rural
see how women in sports from a supposedly India. Yet that is where the biggest scope is for
gender-driven state like Haryana have changed women in STEM to do something that will bring
its perception towards girls following sports paradigm shifts in our country’s economy.”
whole-heartedly - both at the government level as - Romita Ghosh, Founder and CEO,
well in the common mindset.”
MedSamaan and Admirus
Continuing, she stresses, “The second step
that's required is for the government to provide states like Karnataka have a different policy for
concrete and result-oriented measures that women entrepreneurs while in certain states
actually benefit women and not male-owned such policies are practically non-existent. These
businesses that have simply changed their glaring gaps have to be closed quickly.”
owners' names to get those benefits. Certain
reservations in government purchases have not While the glass ceiling is being broken much
necessarily meant participation of more women; more than in the previous decade, in conclusion,
measures have to be taken that create scope and it can be drawn that in terms of women's
space for women at every stakeholder level - be it entrepreneurship, India still has a long way to go.
as a seller, a buyer, or a decision-maker. Another The immediate resolutions in sight are to arrange
aspect that the government needs to consider for mentors at a large scale who can give the
is the lack of a level playing field. Certain support, confidence, and inspiration to get more
passionate agri businesswomen to come forward
and make a difference to the nation in their own
way.
Anusha Ashwin
30 G O V T S C H E M E S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Encouraging Women
Agripreneurs
Ever since the Budget was announced by the Finance Minister this year, there has been
a lot to gossip about the social sector. On the heel of that, comes a source of solace
with the government of India supporting 173 women startups/ entrepreneurs, under the
“Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development” programme.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched a component called
Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas
Yojana (RKVY-RAFTAAR) in 2018-19 with an objective to promote innovation and agri-
entrepreneurship by providing financial support and nurturing the incubation ecosystem.
Besides, the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has been supporting Agri-
based startups under the project called National Agriculture Innovation Fund (NAIF)
initiated in 2016-2017. So far, 50 Agri-Business Incubation Centers (ABICs) have been
established and are operational in the ICAR network under NAIF scheme. Potential women
startups/ entrepreneurs can avail benefit from these programmes.
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com G O V T S C H E M E S 31
It is pertinent to make a mention of the Special provisions for women farmers
agriculture sector which has experienced in national schemes
holistic growth during the times of incessant
and stringent lockdowns. Pandemic has 1. Annapurna Scheme
blessed this sector with decent growth which 2. Bharatiya Mahila Bank Business Loan
rates from 4.3 to 3.6 per cent in the initial 3. Mudra Yojana Scheme
year and approximately 3.9 per cent in the FY 4. Orient Mahila Vikas Yojana Scheme
2021-22. Moreover, when we see livestock and 5. Dena Shakti Scheme
fisheries, we get to know that these two have 6. Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojana
registered an annual growth rate of 8 per cent or 7. Udyogini Scheme
more in the last 5 years. 8. Cent Kalyani Scheme
9. Mahila Udyam Nidhi Scheme
Now, when we bring in the women
participants into this sector, we have all read Pre pandemic era
long reads about how the government is
keen in supporting all those budding women Likewise, when we talk of FY2019, there is a
entrepreneurs in the agri field. plethora of news about the women farmers along
with the entrepreneurs getting benefited from the
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers slew of government schemes. According to the
Welfare has appointed five Knowledge Partners Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MSKP),
(KPs) as Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and 24 women farmers from Madhya Pradesh have been
RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubators the biggest beneficiaries with 6.46 lakh availing
(R-ABIs) from across the country for of the central scheme followed by states like
implementation of this programme. Maharashtra (5.18 lakh) and Odisha (4.16 lakh).
Government’s take Lockdown policies
To sharpen their talent, the government has In recent months, the Indian government has
opened up Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in introduced the scheme called, the Emergency
every Indian state where women can train their Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECGLS),
area of expertise, leaving behind the financial where the government has seamlessly helped
burden to the government. the business owners pay off their creditors
by providing them extensions on the working
Then comes another with the aims at making capitals. Despite the challenges which were posed
extension systems farmer driven and farmer by the lockdown, the government tends to remain
accountable by way of a new institutional supportive all through the while.
arrangements for technology dissemination
in the form of an Agricultural Technology One of the specialised agri-biotech companies
Management Agency (ATMA). The release of named Kanbiosys owns a few verticals which
funds under the ATMA scheme is based on State would help women kick start their career in the
Extension Work Plans (SEWPs) prepared by the agricultural firm they are motivated under, by
State Governments. Allocation of resources for providing verticals which interest them. The
activities related to extension is linked to the verticals are for project assistance, entrepreneurs
number of farm households and Blocks. who want to study fermentation, women with
the interest of the field extension studies, and a
There have been a handful of women ( agri handful of them join as a marketing role. It has
startups), who trained their skills out of ATMA, been observed that Kanbiosys has 30 per cent of
by actively attending the training programme in the women workforce and women labour-force
the district and state level, thereby boosting their account to 60 per cent of their population. They
morale. always have their gate wide open for the budding
women entrepreneurs who are keen to learn
One like “Millet Sisters”, has got the training about new technological advancements.
from the farmer producer companies (FPCs).
While others in “pig rearing”, received the input There was an active government participation
support from the office of the ATMA, where she in keeping the factories open during the months of
got to expand her farming activities to allied COVID-19. That way farmers' need for fertilisers
sector i.e pig rearing. and pesticides was fulfilled. “ I was very happy to
32 G O V T S C H E M E S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
get the cooperation from the local government “India is in dire need of
officials and the policemen who helped us to keep women entrepreneurs, in
the factory running by dispatching the goods to the field whichever interests
the dealers. Considering the top down level with them. Women should also
respect to the bio-pesticides and bio-fertilisers, be encouraged to rejoin
the government always encourages soil health the workforce after the end
apart from human health. Kanbiosys has received of their maternity leave.”
awards like the first technology day award which According to her, the biological and the
was for stopping the rice stubble burning in the career clock of the women is always in the
states like Punjab and Harayana. They have antagonism manner, women has to put in the
received their very first MSMEs award of Rs double amount of her efforts when it comes to
15 lakh from the government.”, said Sandeepa rejoining her workforce. India can not succeed
Kanitkar, Chairperson and Managing Director, if her 50 per cent of the workforce does not
Kanbiosys. offer all these opportunities. Therefore, younger
ones need to incorporate these thoughts and
She further added, “India is in the dire need of make them know about the importance of
the women entrepreneurs, in the field whichever women’s contribution in the workforce.”
interests them. Women should also be encouraged
to rejoin the workforce after the end of their - Sandeepa Kanitkar, Chairperson and
maternity leave.” According to her, the biological Managing Director, Kanbiosys
and the career clock of the women is always in
the antagonism manner, women has to put in the Achievement of women
double amount of her efforts when it comes to
rejoining her workforce. India can not succeed if Apart from training the women who are
her 50 per cent of the workforce does not offer all at play, the government has also nominated
these opportunities.Therefore, younger ones need and showered their efforts and hard work by
to incorporate these thoughts and make them know presenting them with awards. Women have
about the importance of women’s contribution in received farmer award in Support of State
the workforce.” Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms
Scheme – (SSEPERS). Very recently, FICCI
Though, government’s policies are motivating organised the Agri Start-up Awards 2021, where
women in agribusiness, by getting them more RMSI Cropalytics, the agri-tech subsidiary of
and enough opportunity to flourish, there’s a RMSI, one which leads globally when it comes
need to open up the agricultural sector in more to the geospatial and engineering solutions, took
than one way. So initially they are attempting away the prestigious award.
to free the agri sector and induce some kind of
reforms in it, but that can be invoked with the Raita Ratna Award, which is awarded
help of awareness. to Mangala Kiran Neelgund, an Agriculture
graduate from University of Agriculture Sciences,
Less is better Dharwad. One among her achievements is that
she prepared a balanced diet for animals (100kg of
Too much of the government regulations maize+10kg of soybean+10kg of Begalgram+5kg
also hampers the growth of agriculture, so the of mineral mixture) and has her own flour mill
government’s intervention in this field should for preparation of this feed. Good Farmer Award
be limited, wherein, the markets should be freed which is awarded to Chikka Mahadevamma,
up, because the market helps the entrepreneurs she has also received many other awards. The
to bloom, which in the end leaves a profound announcements of the measures to support 173
growth opportunity in this sector. Current women startups/ entrepreneurs which have been
scenario of India reflects 65 per cent of its supported under the “Innovation and Agri-
population's dependency on agriculture. Instead Entrepreneurship Development” programme
of being participative, the government should be courage start¬ups to the condition of agri-
supportive to help agribusiness bloom. business are a welcome steps. This way it will
reinvigorate the country's economy and help
In rural India, more than 50 percent of encourage younger women, willing to participate
women show their active participation in in agri-entrepreneurship.
agriculture when compared to the men there.
Ila Kaushik
[email protected]
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com E N T R E P R E N E U R S 33
Don’t Women Agripreneurs
Deserve a ‘Fair Shake’?
Indian women have always been a major contributor in the agriculture sector. Although
almost 85 per cent of rural women are engaged in agriculture, only around 13 per cent
are land owners. The contribution of Indian women in the agriculture sector is about 47
per cent in tea plantations, 46.84 per cent in cotton cultivation, 45.43 per cent growing
oil seeds and 39.13 per cent in vegetable production. As pointed out by the Food and
Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), women make up about 48 per cent
of all self-employed farmers in India. Despite these numbers, women entrepreneurs face
a lot of challenges in the form of gender disparities, stereotypes, socio-cultural barriers
and identity crises which discourage them from actively pursuing their dreams. It's about
time that we got to the bottom of this disparity and address the issues faced by women
entrepreneurs in the Indian agriculture sector.
34 E N T R E P R E N E U R S AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Women’s entrepreneurial spirit and Sumunnati, “While we have come a long way
endeavours have been recognised since independence, education continues to be a
as an unforgettable source of major challenge hindering the progress of women
financial growth in the last decade. entrepreneurs in this space. More targeted efforts
Women entrepreneurs covering new ground in to incentivise and educate young women farmers
numerous capacities and industries with equal is required. Unfortunately, in India, women
aplomb, creating new openings and opportunities entrepreneurs still face obstacles in the form
for themselves and others. However, bridging of biases, stereotypes and other socio-cultural
this gap has been a challenge, as it has been a barriers which discourage them from actively
male dominant sector. A woman entrepreneur pursuing their dreams. Sustaining the positive
in agribusiness must deal with a catalogue of efforts that various governments, local authorities
challenges, where gender inequality is the widest. and private sector players have been making to
change this scenario will be key.”
Gender bias
Even though women entrepreneurs contribute
Agribusiness is usually perceived as ‘run by a lot to the economic growth of the country, they
men’, wherein women entrepreneurs have to face more socio-cultural challenges as compared
prove themselves and have to work twice as hard to their male counterparts.
as men to succeed. As pointed out by Himani
Shah, Co-founder, Intello Labs, “The lack of Facilities and safety
ownership and control over land is one of the
major challenges which women in this sector Apart from constantly fighting with gender
face. Women are involved in 80 per cent of disputes and facing socio-cultural barriers, the
farm work; still, they own less than 13 per cent major challenge that needs to be focussed is
of farmlands in our country. They are not given safety concerns of women entrepreneurs.
any sense of ownership which leads to gender
disparities, and no matter how much they work, Sharing some of the personal insights, Dr
they are not given any credit for it.” Kavanashree K, Field Scientist (Karnataka),
Corteva Agriscience said, “Till recent past, the
Women entrepreneurs face a lot of challenges major challenge was to get recruited in the agri
in getting their foot in the door in agricultural industry, but this scenario is gradually changing.
business than men when it comes to access to My personal beginners experience in the industry
finance. This is because most of the Indian women gave me confidence to deliver equally as a woman
are left behind on farms to make ends meet as scientist. My organisation is providing a good
more men migrate from rural areas to cities. working environment with additional care on
women safety and comfort which might be a big
Especially for smallholder female farmers, challenge if not addressed. Most of the activities
inherent gender bias regularly limits a woman’s in the agri sector involves travelling for that the
access to credit. Without adequate funds, female conducive environment with exclusive women
farmers are less likely to buy and use fertiliser, facilities and safety is of paramount to bring
sustainable agricultural practices, and other more women to this industry.”
advanced farming tools.
Upping self confidence
Socio-cultural barriers
In view of these challenges the Government
Another challenge that women entrepreneurs of India and many companies are coming
face is that they stem from socio-cultural notions forward with several initiatives. Recently the
that define their role in Indian society. Since Government of India has launched initiatives
women entrepreneurs have a usually smaller such as Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana
network, the struggle in getting loans and (MKSP) and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-
networking opportunities becomes even worse. National Rural Livelihood Mission to bring
Their usually small market network becomes a together women to receive training on various
barrier, which needs to be changed. In addition, aspects of agriculture, business, entrepreneurship
women entrepreneurs become limited to and skills development. While rewriting gender
promotion and participation opportunities. norms, industry players like Samunnati have
also introduced few policies to balance the scale
According to Prerna Desai, Head of Research,
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com E N T R E P R E N E U R S 35
“The lack of ownership and of women entrepreneurs in the agri industry.
control over land is one of Women should not hesitate to come forward to
the major challenges which work in this industry. Women should have faith
women in this sector face. in self, overcome the inferiority and face the
They are involved in 80 per challenges to exhibit competency and capability.
cent of farm work; still, they Women have a multi-tasking ability which will
own less than 13 per cent help her to manage the business successfully. I
of farmlands in our country. They are not given also strongly believe that in India, family support
any sense of ownership, which leads to gender will play a major weapon for the success of women
disparities, and no matter how much they work, as entrepreneurs in the agri industry.”
they are not given any credit for it.”
- Himani Shah, Co-founder, Intello Labs Further, Prerna Desai commented,
“Educating people, especially in rural areas about
“Until recently, the major the various career opportunities that agriculture
challenge was to get offers in domains such as technology, sales,
recruited in the agri industry, marketing, finance, etc. will go a long way. I
but this scenario is gradually also believe that since India is home to some of
changing. My personal the biggest agri-enterprises and FPOs, women
beginners experience in the farmers should also have representation at the
industry gave me confidence board level in FPOs, similar to the opportunities
to deliver equally as a woman given by corporates. Encouraging more women-
scientist. Most of the activities in the agri led FPOs and ensuring they are giving additional
sector involve travelling for that the conducive support by way of monetary and non-monetary
environment with exclusive women facilities aids will also be important.”
and safety is of paramount to bring more
women to this industry.” She added, “There is a definitive trend
- Dr Kavanashree K, Field Scientist (Karnataka), emerging where women leadership at the village
level is growing. This should be nurtured. Further,
Corteva Agriscience there are other micro level organisations such as
SHGs and Asha workers who can be leveraged as
“There is a definitive trend the right mediums to onboard the target audience.
emerging where women Focused efforts to nurture women leadership in
leadership at the village agri education institutes will also help build the
level is growing. This future of a strong agricultural sector shaped by
should be nurtured. Further, women entrepreneurs.”
there are other micro level
organisations such as SHGs In addition, Himani Shah said, “Changing the
and Asha workers who can be leveraged as the dynamics around access of women to resources
right mediums to onboard the target audience. like land, financial support, technology, skill
Focused efforts to nurture women leadership in development and training and acceptability at
agri education institutes will also help build the markets, warrants critical reforms, will be the key
future of a strong agricultural sector shaped by to improvement of challenges faced by women in
women entrepreneurs.” this particular sector. Schemes like MKSP being
- Prerna Desai, Head of Research, Samunnati implemented with vigour, make certain that women
can get equitable agriculture opportunities.”
towards women. Collaborating with 700+ FPOs
(Farmer Producer Organisations), the company An inductive approach is needed to shape
has also introduced targeted training initiatives the sector for women entrepreneurs. Several
for women on topics such as leadership. initiatives by the government; access to
resources; efforts to nurture women leadership;
Dr Kavanashree highlighted, “In villages, more encouraging women-led FPO’s and providing
than 75 per cent women are into agricultural career opportunities can be the key to improve
activities, but their work goes unrecognised. these challenges faced by women entrepreneurs
Government is trying to strengthen the in the agri industry of our country.
agricultural activities of women by supporting
them through its various projects. Contribution Pooja Yadav
of women in agribusiness can be increased by
providing guidance and creating awareness of [email protected]
such projects. It was noticed that more than 50
per cent of the students in agricultural universities
in India are women, but there are only a handful
36 S P E A K I N G W I T H AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
“People's mindset that
restricts women from excelling
in their work must change”
DR SANGEETA CHOPRA,
Principal Scientist, Indian
Agricultural Research Institute
(IARI)
Dr Sangeeta Chopra, Principal Scientist, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Indian
Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and her team, in collaboration with researchers from
Michigan State University (MSU), USA have recently developed the 'Pusa Farm SunFridge'
(FSF), an on-farm green energy refrigeration system. It is the result of more than five
years of work. The battery-less, stand-alone, solar-refrigerated cold structure innovation
is a joint effort by scientists from ICAR-IARI, New Delhi and Dr Randolph Beaudry and
Dr Norbert Mueller from MSU. In year 2019, Dr Sangeeta was granted a project titled
‘Off-grid, clean energy cooling for affordable storage of perishables for BOP farmers’ by
Partnership for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) cycle 7 which entailed setting
up walk-in Farm SunFridges in three villages in hot and dry states of India to test them on
field conditions. She is also the recipient of a grant for an IARI-MSU collaborative project
‘Low-Carbon Footprint Cool Storage Structures to Empower Farmers: Improving Storage
and Enabling Processing of Perishable Produce’, from the USAID Global Centre for Food
Systems Innovation (GCFSI), USA in an international competition of ‘2014/2015 Food
Systems Innovations Grant’. In an interaction with AgroSpectrum Dr Sangeeta Chopra
shared her views on Indian agribusiness and the growing role of women entrepreneurs.
Edited excerpts;
How do agri universities help with some schemes to encourage people to get
increase the contribution of women in into this business.
agribusiness?
What challenges do women
Agri universities have a role in teaching, entrepreneurs face in the agri
where many of our women students are opting industry?
for startups, opening their businesses and
being entrepreneurs. The agri universities In a country like India, the majority of women
are imparting education and teaching to the are sometimes not decision makers and have less
students. The exposure to agribusiness is very power. For example, if we look at some of the
important and agri universities might come up villages of Haryana, women are the ones working
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com S P E A K I N G W I T H 37
on fields and have the knowhow and skills, but of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, USAID.
they cannot make decisions. In agriculture, Furthermore, there is a scheme called Revolving
women face limitations and at times have to Fund Scheme (RFS) in which IARI enables
put in a lot of effort to overcome the challenges. people to build Pusa Farm SunFridge.
Being a woman, I have myself faced many
challenges. How are you planning to promote
SunFridge?
Many times the social structure doesn't
empower women in the patriarchal society The plan is to make this innovation as popular
leading often to a fixed mindset and at times as possible; Pusa Farm SunFridge is the result of
pay-scale disparity. There is a need to change a research project with USAID funding from USA
people's mindset, which restricts women from as well as from IARI and has been installed in the
doing a good job or excelling in their work. villages of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
Entrepreneurs and students should look up
to their role models and successful women to We have been improving the design of
overcome these challenges. SunFridge, and the latest Farm SunFridge parts
have been made portable. It is prefabricated and
You have recently designed SunFridge can be assembled using nuts and bolts; so that
that was showcased at the Pusa one can ship the whole SunFridge in a truck and
Krishi Vigyan Mela 2021. Could to install it at a remote place.
you elaborate on the plans of this
innovation? The government has launched many
new schemes and policies for the
Pusa Farm Sunfridge (FSF) is an innovative growth of women agripreneurs. What
farm cold storage facility that runs entirely on is your take on this?
solar energy. It is for the farmers’ field, and can
also be used on the retail side like at mandis, etc. I think policies of a country are important
The temperature inside the Farm SunFridge can and the right kind of policies can take the
be maintained around 3-4°C during daytime just country forward. Thought-out policies are very
as in any cold store. The innovation is a battery- worthwhile, like ‘Mahila Kisan Sashaskht Yojana’
less off-grid cold store, with a capacity of 2 tonnes as the name suggests is for strengthening the
of fruits and vegetables storage. Night-time women farmers, so if implemented efficiently,
temperature is maintained at 5-8°C. The walls it can have a huge impact on the women
are made of a wet fabric to enhance cooling using agripreneurs/farmers. In addition, vocational
evaporation as well. training for women and Self-Help Groups (SHG)
can also make a lot of difference. For example,
The price of Pusa-FSF, depends on location, in Ludhiana, many SHG consisted of women
price of raw material, skilled labour etc. A good making candles or pickles and their business
figure would be around Rs 8-10 lakh including flourished reasonably well.
the cost of solar panels, inverter, control system
and refrigeration system. The project has In fact, we had a project, in which we trained
received funding from the National Academies women jail inmates in Ludhiana to enable them
to have skills so they could earn their livelihoods,
when they got out of jail. SHG’s, has enabled
women to build confidence and get social support
to set up their own enterprises.
How can women entrepreneurs bring
in a revolution in the agri community?
Women entrepreneurs can bring about a
revolution in the agri community as they may
prove to be better (more compassionate and
sensitive) managers and might get better output
from their business.
Pooja Yadav
[email protected]
38 S P E A K I N G W I T H AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
"Future of women
entrepreneurs in agri need
better acknowledgment
and support"
DEVLEENA
BHATTACHARJEE,
Founder, Numer8 Analytics
Devleena Bhattacharjee, founder, Numer8 Analytics is the winner of ‘Best Women Agtech
Entrepreneur Award 2021’ at the 4th Edition of Summit & Awards for Innovations by Agri
Startups organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
She is also the Chairperson of FICCI Fishtech subcommittee and is working with the FICCI
team in bringing a holistic change to the fisheries sector.
Devleena is a data scientist with over 15 years of experience in using data to solve
real-world business problems across different domains. Her first data science startup
'Woocation' was a risk intelligence platform for the insurance industry. Her second data
science startup Numer8 is currently using satellite data along with other sensor data to
build profitable, traceable, and sustainable fisheries. Numer8’s product Ofish was selected
by the European Space Agency and the UN World Food Programme for helping address
SDG 2, 12, and 14. She started Numer8 as a solo founder in 2017 and now works with
a team of data scientists, data architects, and GIS analysts. Devleena interacted with
AgroSpectrum about the contribution of women in agribusiness and her work in the
fisheries sector. Edited excerpts;
How can we increase participation of payment in India. This also stems from the fact
women entrepreneurs in India? that across 22 states in India, only 54.8 per cent
of women own a personal phone.
The problem is that as of today though 77
per cent of women aged more than 15 years have So we are looking at grass root level changes
a bank account, 53 per cent of that population when you speak pan India. The situation is a little
has not made a single deposit. On the digital better when you look at urban folks, however,
ecosystem side, the numbers are even bleaker, growing adoption at scale is still lost in societal,
only 22 per cent of women have used digital technological, and gender issues.
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com S P E A K I N G W I T H 39
So, on a broad level, considering both urban comes to fighting gender and societal biases. The
and rural women entrepreneurs, we need to have problem mutates even further given the economic
a couple of primary kinds of inputs as follows: section the business owners belong to. But on
a broad level, I think the problem with women
1. B uilding financial literacy and increasing entrepreneurs in agri is not very different from
access to financial products and services. women entrepreneurs in any other business.
The product and solutions should be built in
a way it is easily accessible across regions, If even I, coming from a somewhat privileged
across the economical section, across background with some degree of education,
various languages, ages and demography. could be asked by a bank to submit a male family
member’s PAN or Aadhar to authenticate my
2. S upport for increased adoption and request for a business loan, imagine what a less
incentivisation so that the entire family can privileged woman faces. Financial inclusion,
participate and be benefitted from having a financial and digital literacy education,
women entrepreneur at home. awareness, and self-help groups go a long way to
build sustainable women business owners
3. Targeted approach to focus areas that need
different interventions like women tech Just speaking of agri urban and rural, I think
start-up entrepreneurs or women farmers. the following can be done to boost the sector
These will be industry-specific solutions ground up:
and programs which address micro issues.
1. A ll agribusinesses need to report the
Although women are actively heading number of women blue-collared workers
in different sectors of the agri they employ and a mandate to have at least
industry, it is primarily dominated by a percentage of a board being women to
men in India. How, then, can women’s represent women’s set of issues.
contribution in agribusiness be
increased? 2. S elf Help Groups (SHGs) have a
brilliant model for improving women’s
Rural, Semi-urban, and Urban India are participation. Financial discipline is
very different geographies to deal with when it generally a women’s thing so SHGs saving
first- credit later model can be extended
further with goals given to rural women
to open their self-owned businesses along
with financial and digital literacy
3. H ave a Social P2P lending model like
RangDe where an urban women investor
in agri can support a rural women
entrepreneur
4. For all urban women entrepreneurs in
agribusiness, a grant to involve rural
women in their value chain and even a team
should be provided
5. Formal financial products across all banks
that provide easy business loans to women
with less interest should be provided – this
is still something that is not done, even
though on papers it says different.
6. Apart from this, a gender-neutral work
environment especially for rural women
entrepreneurs, proper child support
packages and an active grievances cell to
attend to any personal and work related
complaints should be set up in every
village.
40 S P E A K I N G W I T H AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
How is Numer8 Analytics helping space data analysis to fisheries is a niche
fish farmers leverage data science to area for many to follow and understand,
make fishing profitable? so we are seen with a mixed lens of
admiration and doubt.
We are helping fisher folks to reduce their cost
of operations by up to 40 per cent and increasing Could you take us through your growth
their sales margin by up to 10 per cent. We do strategies and plans for FY 22-23?
this by a combination of fishing advisory, forward
and backward market linkages, and finance The plan for Numer8 this year is to expand
connect. to all states in India for all our business lines
that are advisories and market linkages. And
The advisories are provided by analysing especially focus on supply chain efficiency in the
satellite data on an hourly basis. Market linkages export sector for fisheries
are offered with traceability to enable supply chain
monitoring in place. And our finance connect What acclamations have Numer8
model is where we are connecting the fishing Analytics received at the international
community with recommended low interest loan and national level to date?
providers suited to their credit profile.
We have received various awards for our work
What challenges did your company in the fisheries sector, including: o Sep 2018, ESA
face initially? Copernicus Masters
F eb 2019, United Nations World Food
We are pioneering the application of data
science in fisheries. We are the first movers in Programme
this which gives us a virgin market to tap into but Dec 2019, ESRI, 1st prize, Geo Innovation
also a lot of challenges and learnings. July 2020, WIT Tech for Good
The main challenges we faced initially: N ov 2020, Tech Emerge, ADPC – World Bank
F eb 2021, ISRO Niti Aayog, ANIC-ARISE
1) Tough Demography: Reaching out to a D ec 2021, Meity Scale Up
group of fisher folks in an area as a captive J an 2022, FICCI Best Women Agtech
audience. This community is highly
unavailable and does not have the habit of Entrepreneur Award 2021.
showing up for a scheduled meeting. So, in
the initial days, when nobody knew us, it What do you foresee for women
was very few audiences for us to play with entrepreneurs in the Agri industry?
2) L inguistic Challenges: Overcoming the The agriculture sector has a lot of
regional vocabulary challenge. Every participation of women. It employs around 80
state in India is a country by itself. So per cent of all economically active women in
even though our app supports all regional India. This is spread across 33 per cent of the
languages, as a team we had to have folks labour force and 48 per cent of the self-employed
from across the country to be able to women farmers. 85 per cent of our rural women
communicate to our users effectively. This are engaged in agriculture, yet, only about 13 per
was difficult to hire and recruit time wise cent own land. In the fisheries supply chain, 72
and cost-wise per cent consists of women.
3) R emote Customers: All our customer So, clearly, the future of women
outreach was extensive in nature in the entrepreneurs in the Agri Industry need better
initial days when we did not have a local acknowledgment and support. They should be
presence. In two of the instances, it given an opportunity to own businesses instead
required me to drive up and down the west of just being brute labour.
coast from Mumbai to Cochin since no
local transport enabled us to travel back Forbes had published an article in 2020
and forth coastal fishing communities which read - The Invisible Women of Small Scale
Fisheries Contribute 11 per cent of Global Catch.
4) I ndustry Biases: We are still struggling And this is not very much different in other parts
with various industry biases against the of the agri industry. This needs to change.
fishing industry. In addition to that, the
application of data science and especially Dipti Barve
[email protected]
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com S P E A K I N G W I T H 41
"The Future belongs to
Women in Agri space"
DR RENUKA themselves in more leadership positions. Though
DIWAN, Co-Founder corporates have traditionally engaged women in
management positions in small numbers, they are
and CEO, BioPrime making conscious efforts to change that. Startups
Solutions have given women more opportunities and we see
more and more women in leadership positions.
Dr Renuka Diwan, a first-generation
entrepreneur, having a doctorate and According to you, which sector
post-doctorate in plant sciences with 17 of the agri industry will be
years of research experience, patents, and more remunerative for women
technology transfer. As Co-Founder and entrepreneurs in the next five years?
CEO of BioPrime Solutions, she focuses
on developing sustainable strategies If decided, women can achieve success in every
for achieving the long-term goals of the sector of the agri industry. Since women are good at
company by developing key partnerships science and technology, they can play an important
and collaborations for rapid penetration role in integrating technology in the agri value
in the market. Dr Renuka is also In charge chain. Starting from seed industry to agri supply
of finance and fund-raising, focusing chain, women can explore more in e-commerce,
on building profitability with long-term animal breeding technology, and sustainable
growth and manages the company's IP agriculture practices. With the use of latest
strategies. Renuka Diwan interacted with technologies such as AI and IoT women can work in
AgroSpectrum on the status of women research and innovation in irrigation, modern farm
entrepreneurs in the agri industry and the mechanisation systems, dairy, fisheries and logistics.
way forward. Edited excerpts;
What inputs are needed for the growth
How can women's contribution in of women entrepreneurs in India?
agribusiness be increased in India?
While there are various factors needed for the
Agriculture is a notoriously male-dominated growth of women entrepreneurs, here are some of
industry. From the manufacturing side - seed, feed, them: Women should be given equal opportunity
agri equipment, inputs to the actual growers, FOPS employment in companies, startups so that more
and lastly to the procurement side - Aggregators, women will be attracted towards the agri industry.
Arhtiyas (middlemen) , exporters - the entire value • Government and private sector should promote
chain has a poor representation of women. However,
the sector is undergoing massive reorganisation women in leadership positions in the organisations
and transformation- mostly through the integration and companies
of technology in each and every aspect in the value • I n order to increase women's contribution in
chain. This opens up a huge area where women can agribusiness, the government should announce
contribute in a more meaningful way and establish more benefits for women-led companies/ startups.
The government has announced
various schemes to attract more
women into the agri industry. Besides
this, how can the private sector
contribute to increasing women
participation in agribusiness?
Policy level backing is required for any change
to be consistent and sustainable. Government
42 S P E A K I N G W I T H AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
intent and backing will definitely be helpful. on discovering fundamental aspects of plant
Government is supporting women entrepreneurs communication, identifying new biomolecules and
through funding, approving new agritech projects. new modes of modulating plant responses. SNIPR
Actual success can only be defined when the and BIONEXUS enable BioPrime to develop new
technology or product becomes commercial success. biologicals and radically improve existing products
There is a huge gap between the government and at a fraction of cost and time. With Omnivore joining
entrepreneurs in the process of introducing any us in this journey we are confident of building
particular product or technology in the market. At BioPrime to be a global player in Ag biotech and
this stage, the private sector can play an important achieve our goal of a world where good yield is not a
role in commercialising the technology or product. gamble but an assurance.
Private sector can provide handhold support to
startups to understand market needs and promote What are growth strategies and plans
the technology or product in the market. of the company for FY 22-23?
Government and private sector partnership will Bioprime is building India's largest plant-
definitely pave the way for the growth of women led associated microbe library. Scientists have studied
startups and budding women entrepreneurs. This the past 35 years of data and identified 60 locations
partnership should include policy support from the for microbe collection in the first phase. Registrations
government in the form of finance and incubation of 8 products under the newly formed Biostimulants
centres at agriculture universities for women policy. Initiating studies for International Validation
students. Private sector can support in the process of on the new molecules and technology. Securing Pan
promotion and commercialisation of technology or India distribution for the current product portfolio.
product in the market. Currently, we are evaluating 4 pan- India distribution
agreements for 3 products with MNCs. 2 multi-
How BioPrime’s biological crop inputs product Co-development projects are underway with
are helping to enhance yields without MNCs. We have a very strong product pipeline with
increasing carbon footprint? products on shelf life enhancement, photosynthesis
modulation, and in-plant protection - fungicides.
Bioprime SNIPR Biologicals are making We aim to advance these to the multi-location field
crops climate-resilient using targeted physiology testing stage.
modulating biomolecules. SNIPR biologicals give
farmers assurance of yields despite the adverse How do you envisage the future of
conditions. They reduce climate- change related crop women in the agri industry?
losses by 25-30 per cent, reduce the requirement of
fertilisers, especially urea by 25 per cent. In the last Women will increasingly play an important
year alone we have reduced urea consumption of 30 part in transforming the industry. Agriculture is
L kgs reducing carbon footprint by 2.88 L kg Co2 in ripe of disruption and this opportune time will see
rice. Indian rice alone needs 45 million tonnes of more and more women take leadership positions
urea every year and adoption of such technologies in corporates and start-ups bringing technology.
could potentially lead to the reduction of carbon Women are trying to disrupt traditional trends in
footprint by 89,400 tonnes of Co2 each year. agribusiness starting from seed industry to last mile
delivery of agri-produce to the consumers with the
How will OmniX Bio support Indian help of technology. Even the corporate sector is
entrepreneurs who work in the fields waking up towards providing equal opportunities
of agriculture? to women in agribusiness. The future belongs to
women in agriculture who have set out to break
OmniX Bio will provide venture funding, the glass ceiling and transform this space from
mentorship from global agrifood life sciences the ground up. Be it as growers, SHGs/FPOs or as
leaders, institutional partnerships, and business inventors or as entrepreneurs- leading the change
development support to access domestic and export from the front. In the next five years, women will
sales channels. While all members of the Omnivore emerge as leaders of the agri industry and drive the
team will support OmniX Bio, a PhD life scientist revolution in agriculture.
will join the investment team in 2022 to oversee the
initiative and help develop the agrifood life sciences Dipti Barve
ecosystem across India. At BioPrime we are focusing
[email protected]
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com S P E A K I N G W I T H 43
"Stereotypes that teach
women to 'play it safe'
must be shed"
GUBBA DEEPTHI,
Chief Growth Officer, Gubba
Cold Storage
The landscape of India’s agriculture industry has recently shifted especially when it
comes to the contribution of women in this sector. They play a pivotal role in agriculture
and their contribution to agriculture in terms of the number of tasks performed and
time spent is greater than their male counterparts and they are responsible for most of
the agricultural activities, they are still considered as helping hand and not recognised
as farmers, preventing them from accessing specific loan and benefit programmes to
expand production. However, this scenery is now changing its colour with women agro
entrepreneurs such as Gubba Deepthi, Chief Growth Officer, Gubba Cold Storage setting
up a benchmark for others to follow in this domain. Deepthi Gubba is a strong, assertive
woman who has been balancing with aplomb, being a homemaker and an entrepreneur.
Her journey in the industry goes back 10 years when she started as a content developer for
Gubba Seed News. Her knowledge, zeal and passion grew limitlessly and as time passed
she took over the HR, Branding and Communications of the company. At present, she is
the Chief Growth Officer of Gubba Cold Storage. She has also been head of ERP, Quality
Assurance, Seed R&D, Customer care, which involves high technical knowledge. Apart from
her professional profession, she also runs a trust for underprivileged girls of the society. In
an exclusive interview with AgroSpectrum, Gubba Deepthi shared her overall journey in this
sector. Edited excerpts;
How do you envisage the future of ecosystem of Indian agriculture revolutionise.
women entrepreneurs in the country's Women’s participation and contribution has been
agriculture sector? so positively aggressive, from creating sensors to
assess farming conditions to designing wearable
Women, at every stage have been involved tech that helps detect disease in cattle, we saw
in the most prime occupation of our country women's contribution to innovation elevating.
– agriculture. In 2021, 75 per cent of full-time Agriculture has, is and will always be the
workers in the fields were found to be women. paramount of our country. The need for it cannot
In the past decade, we witnessed the entire
44 S P E A K I N G W I T H AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
be diminished irrespective of any advancement. government doing their bit year on year,
However, there is no denial in the fact that however, it is a request to the government to
moving forward we will have a reasonable design and execute schemes like the Mahila Kisan
balance between manpower and automation. The Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) - government’s
literacy rate of women in India (as per December flagship scheme to empower women engaged in
2021) is 64.64 per cent, 10 years ago we were at agriculture activities which had over 36.06 lakh
53 per cent. Standing in 2022, we see this growth females’ benefit.
is going to get aggressive and the pace is going to
be faster. What are the bottlenecks that are
limiting the involvement of women
So, I am confident that the future of modern entrepreneurs in this sector?
agriculture has begun to be astounding with the
contribution of women. The biggest bottleneck limiting the
involvement of women entrepreneurs is the
Compared to the western world, where preset mindset that women are grown up with.
do Indian women stand in the field of We are told and made to believe that certain jobs
agro entrepreneur? are not meant for women. On top of that, the
lack of opportunities, right guidance, and the
India is a developing country. Our GDP, hunger to search for what else can be the need to
exports, CAGR, literacy and every other factor of develop and what could be done from one’s end
growth, in my opinion, is on a different journey to contribute is somewhere missing. I believe
altogether as the opportunities, foreign direct there is a gap, women are getting educated but
investments that the western world and we the output would be different if women were
receive, are not similar, rather, incomparable. educated for self and country’s development
However, it’s now time that we trust this gender rather than obliging the government to
and encourage to have their ratio go higher compulsory girl education rule. We teach the
in decision making roles. Government has women to play safe and opt for roles that are
welcomed this change by making it mandatory followed with comfort. Probably that’s why we
to have at least one female in the board. India hardly see any women in pest management, for
probably needs more such initiations. example. Such stereotypes are yet to be broken.
To choose, without the fear of already-always
Various schemes floated by the existing so called society rules. This will increase
central and state government recently the risk taking capacity of women and when this
to allure more women into the agri happens, wonders will happen.
sector. Do you feel that such schemes
are moving in the right direction to Entrepreneurs will provide a solution
attract women into the agri sector of when they see a problem. We must continue to
the country? encourage more science exhibitions, from the
elementary level itself. Youth is the future of
An individual’s growth and prosperity our country. It’s our rightful duty to fuel their
is claimed to elevate when the skill, efforts innovation. Private players and government
and opportunities are from both ends – the collaborations in terms of education subsidiary,
government and the individual. We see training programs, awareness creation, designing
new skill development…basically to explore more
is the need of the hour.
There are many sectors in the field of
agriculture such as crop cultivation,
poultry, livestock, dairy, food crop
cultivation etc. according to you,
which sector attracts the women agro
entrepreneur most?
In this era of revolution, we are going to
upgrade in every field of agriculture. There is
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com S P E A K I N G W I T H 45
a need for innovation in all. When we talk of a challenge. Our MD was not fulfilling just his
upgrading, it is going to be on field, in the R&D, dream, he upgraded the skill, trust and vision of
on the backend, in the corporates that deal with the entire team.
cultivation, livestock, dairy etc. As a woman, I
love challenges and believe this is the case for all What are the key features of your
my fellow-women. Hence, every sector is equally storages that make them the most
challenging and attractive. preferred storing destination?
This domain is heavily dominated Gubba Group is a 34+ year old organisation,
by men. How can this change, so having its operations run through all over
more women may participate without Telangana and Aurangabad. In 1987, Gubba
hesitation? became the pioneer by altering the view of
India’s vision with respect to preservation by
Yes, this domain has been dominated by men. establishing the first and back then, the only
However, the contributions made by women cold storage in Andhra Pradesh. Initially, Gubba
on the field and the back end is noteworthy. My started with 500 tonnes. With expanding further
roadmap to have more women's participation till date we have 18 facilities, one Seed Quality
would be to educate them about their potentials Testing lab, one Biotech lab and the only private
from the scratch. When they are shown the right company that has ventured into multi-location
path from the scratch, they know what, where trials (MLT) operating all throughout India. As
and how to follow. I also strongly believe that on date, we have invested 150 crore into serving
women must be invested in the R&D of our the Seed, Pharma and Food industry. Today, we
country’s agri-development. I am working on stand at 1,15,000 tonnes and 1.35 crore cubic feet
building a cold chain facility that is entirely run capacity.
by women, in terms of operations, sales, decision
making, business analysis etc. It will be my bit to We are proud of many 1st in our cap:
empower the women of India. • 1st Seed Cold Storage in India.
• 1st Jumbo Cold Storage in India
Gubba Cold Storage has come a very • 1st Private Germ Plasm Bank in India.
long way. What are the challenges
faced by the company during its initial The only NABL-accredited private seed
stages of operations? quality testing lab in India.
Being the pioneer in the cold chain industry, 2nd largest pharma complaint cold storage
when we initially began, we truly saw stars in facility in India.
the daylight. When your vision is that of like
no one else, it gets really hard for you to have Gubba Biotech lab – Precision and excellence
people believe in you. You feel humiliated and in testing at molecular level
the series of rejection that follows…reaches to
that one saturating point where you have self- Gubba multi-location trials – The only one
doubts. This is a story of every entrepreneur I in India undertaking MLT for public and private
believe, however, how you grow and learn out entities to produce unbiased results.
of these circumstances shapes you. The case
with our MD, Gubba Nagender Rao was similar, At Gubba, we are committed to have our
except for, he had the key. He always believed time and resources invested in providing
in himself and his vision. He knocked 100’s of world class services and apex technology,
doors to have 1 person listen to him. One thing having said that – we have inculcated 21 CRF
was for sure, he was not to give up until he saw Data loggers, upcoming barcoding system for
his dream come real. Having to align the first smooth inventory, ERP enabled systems, MHE
loan sanction, our first engineer and everything operations, and our team is experienced, efficient
that happened for the first time in the cold and trained.
chain facility in 1987, which we now call the
Gubba M1 situated @ Medchal Hyderabad, was We also have our patent Gubba App – by
which we deliver online access to our clients,
each with unique credentials to have live updates
and reports of the stock with a single click on the
smartphone.
Nitin Konde
46 S P E A K I N G W I T H AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
"Incubation centres will boost
women agripreneurs"
DR SANGITA LADHA,
Business Director, Rivulis
Irrigation India
Dr Sangita Ladha has been spearheading operations with leading organisations in
Irrigation and Water Management and is currently associated with Rivulis Irrigation India
as a Business Director. She has completed her MTech, Agricultural Engineering, from IIT-
Kharagpur and has earned a Doctorate in Agricultural Development.
Her domain expertise is Precision Farming, Automated Irrigation and Water Management,
Protected cultivation - Green-house Technology, Agri-Value Chain Management and Digital
informatics based agro advisory services. She has nearly 30 years of experience in the
area of Design, Marketing and Business Development of Micro Irrigation Systems and in
Development and Management of Practical and Innovative Indo-Dutch Training Centres for
horticulture and in particular for promotion of Green-house Technology in the country. In
an interaction with AgroSpectrum Dr Sangita shared her views on women agripreneurship
in India. Edited excerpts;
How can the percentage of women's Under the scheme 'Raftar' for agritech
contribution in agribusiness be startups, the government provides funding up to
increased in India? Rs 25 lakh. Information of such kinds of schemes
needs to be widely circulated and published
Incidentally, I was heading the Indo- German through agriculture colleges and universities
collaboration centre for horticulture. This kind at grass root level. Government has started
of centre provides handholding support to many incubation centres especially for budding
farmers for the total agri value chain. It imparts
training to farmers for upscaling their skills. In
India, the percentage of women farmers is 80
per cent but only 20 per cent have land holding.
In such a scenario, we need institutes across the
country which can provide complete information
about finance schemes by the government,
project report making process, input and output
resources and most importantly handholding
support to women entrepreneurs if anything
goes wrong. It will motivate women farmers to
transform them into agripreneur.
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com S P E A K I N G W I T H 47
entrepreneurs in the agri industry. As 50 per cent agribusiness will be available at the same platform.
of the students in agriculture colleges are girls, the
information of government schemes for women What could be the state of women
entrepreneurs and incubation centres needs agripreneurship in the coming years?
to be circulated which is lacking in the current
scenario. Incubation centres will play a vital I think the next decade will be the decade of
role in increasing the contribution of women in women in the agri industry in India. Women are
agribusiness. exploring and driving their innovation through
agritech startups. If you look at agriculture
Which agri sector should women university students, out of 100 per cent 50
entrepreneurs focus on? per cent students are women. This shows that
women are more enthusiastic and keen to learn
Today, almost all women are well-versed new technologies in agriculture. The daughters
with the utility of smartphones. Women can of farmers who are students of agriculture
explore more technology-based supply chain universities have become ready to move out solo
management or logistic management. By using for marketing and drive their innovations using
the tools of AI and IoT women farmers can the latest technologies. Even women from other
manage their business with limited investment faculties are exploring something different in
from the backyard of their farm. agritech than going for regular jobs.
Women entrepreneurs work efficiently in With the right flow of information, grass root
e-commerce, logistics and can play an important level study of agribusiness and accurate use of
role in the agriculture value chain. Remote latest technology, women entrepreneurs will
sensing, block chain technology, and AI are some definitely achieve success in every sector of the
of the important areas where agriculture students agri industry in the next five years.
can explore more.
What needs to be done to improve the
Agri-food processing is traditionally taken growth of women entrepreneurs?
up by women in rural areas but it is not scaled
up as per the expectations, especially quality Finding out the gaps between women
packaging, knowledge about Food Safety and entrepreneurs and government schemes is the
Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms for first step that needs to be taken for the growth
food processing, and marketing skills. Women of women entrepreneurs. For any budding
entrepreneurs can explore more in bringing new woman entrepreneur, finding out the necessary
technologies in agri-food processing and business information about government schemes, updated
models which will help in growth of women information about the agritech sector, financial
entrepreneurs and women farmers as well. support, and connecting with the right department
of government for approvals are the major
How can FPOs contribute to the hurdles. The missing links between entrepreneurs
growth of women entrepreneurs? and government can be connected through
incubation centres. The guidance about converting
The government is trying to promote the an idea into a prototype and connecting with
Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to double proper channels for further development is very
farmer’s income. Institutions like Maharashtra important for every entrepreneur.
State Development Corporation are developing
100 FPOs since they have aggregation of produce. Private sector is also actively contributing
All these FPOs have growers who are holding to the growth of women entrepreneurs. Private
lands, so startups can connect with FPOs to drive sector is on board with good ideas from
their innovations at ground level. Every FPO entrepreneurs by providing them handholding
is an entrepreneur. They just need knowledge support and upscaling their ideas into prototypes.
about quality inputs, best farming practices, It is also supporting women entrepreneurs
market linkages and technical knowledge about for conducting pilot projects and including
agribusiness. If women farmers come together their technology in the company services as an
under the roof of FPO then it will be a win-win addition in their services or products.
situation for both farmers and entrepreneurs
as information about necessary aspects of Dipti Barve
[email protected]
48 W E B I N A R AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
IFPRI's webinar stresses on women empowerment in agri sector
Why Gender Equality
and Quality Nutrition for
Women is Crucial
The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture
Index (WEAI) is the first-ever direct equality is a crucial factor for innovation, healthy
measure of women’s empowerment and and inclusive food systems."
inclusion in the agriculture sector and
has been named one of Consultative Group on He emphasised smarter practices, climate-smart
International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) top innovation in agri sector which will be beneficial for
innovations. Since its launch in 2012, WEAI-based the women in the agri sector and urged for accurate
metrics have been used by over 230 organisations and effective tools, to allow to monitor progress,
across 58 countries to track progress toward make stakeholders accountable, identify the solutions
women’s empowerment and gender equality. This that can have a significant impact, going in for a
includes the project-level WEAI (pro-WEAI), holistic approach for women empowerment. While
which measures empowerment in various types of ending his speech, he said that the project on WEAI
agricultural development projects. The pro-WEAI monitors women's role in agriculture development
has guided programming that reached 10 million progress and an index is a critical tool for catalysing
people across 30 projects, leveraging $2.4 billion. change and more needs to be done in the front.
Based on these metrics, International Food In his address Jim Barnhart,
Processing Research Institute (IFPRI) with USAID Deputy Coordinator for Development
and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation organised
a webinar on February 16, 2022, on 'A Decade of for Feed the Future, Assistant to
the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index the Administrator, Bureau for
(WEAI): Lessons from Using Empowerment Resilience and Food Security,
Metrics. The webinar started with Charlotte United States Agency for
Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public International Development (USAID)
said that women faced persistent barriers over
Affairs, IFPRI, welcoming all the guests. a decade ago in the agri sector and it prevented
Johan Swinnen, Global women from participating in the sector. On how
to include more women in the agriculture sector,
Director, CGIAR Systems he said, "We need to measure success, better
Transformation Science Group & understand the social implications. WEAI data
Director General, IFPRI started enabled us to overcome the hurdles for better
his talk by mentioning how the empowerment of women."
women workforce has been globally Barnhart mentioned that a major roadblock
active in food systems, however, are underpaid and for women was to make a credit-related decision.
overexploited and on certain occasions excessive He talked about the policies for the upliftment of
workloads. He mentioned the uneven distribution women in the agri sector that were implemented in
of rights and resources between men and women Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal, Uganda and Kenya.
in food systems that often make women and girls He mentioned, "Though we have succeeded
vulnerable to malnutrition, poor health. Above in many fronts there are challenges that we need
it, the COVID-19 pandemic had brought in more to overcome. The COVID-19 pandemic has given
inequalities among men and women. a death blow to many who were managing the
Swinnen said, "Post COVID our focus will be livestocks. Inclusive-led agriculture is at the heart
to bring in gender equality and must be at the of our approach. Our newly adopted and enhanced
centre of what we do and what we propose. Gender global food security strategy recognises that
empowering women and girls are critical towards
AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com W E B I N A R 49
sustainable and equitable food systems. We must challenge. Happy to say that the World Bank has
advance global partnerships to improve and access started to adopt WEIA methodology for women
the generic data recognising the importance of empowerment is what she mentioned.
women's empowerment." Sabina Alkire, Director, Oxford
Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Poverty and Human Development
Initiative (OPHI) talked about the
Research Fellow, IFPRI talked work methodology of WEIA and
about the evolution of WEAI how it has evolved and women in
and evidence-generated lessons across 58 countries are getting the
learned and future directions. benefits. There are significant changes
Mentioning WEAI’s role in as one is not looking at a single indicator and a
measuring the inclusion of women in the agri sector, nexus of indicators of women empowerment.
she opined that the programme has been designed to Avijit Choudhury, Integrator (Resource
look at decision making and control over livelihoods, Mobilisation, Partnerships &
resources and income, mostly in agriculture. Communications), Professional
She mentioned about five domains of Assistance For Development Action
empowerment and gender parity index. She said (PRADAN) gave an outlook about
that women in agriculture have more workload the work being undertaken in India
leading to lower BMI. Even with empowerment and how the gender parity index
objectives, many agricultural development projects showed a significant improvement. He,
do not achieve significant impacts on empowerment however, mentioned that changing nutritional
indicators. Empowering women in agriculture is full outcomes is challenging.
of challenges, strategies increasing respect with the In her talk Chiara Kovarik, Program Officer,
household for women and achieving work balance Women's Empowerment, Agricultural
for both men and women can be effective. Development, Bill & Melinda Gates
Later a panel discussion was organised and Foundation (BMGF) mentioned that
the speakers were Sabina Alkire, Director, Oxford women's empowerment is a priority,
Poverty and Human Development Initiative and there is an urgent need to set up
(OPHI); Avijit Choudhury, Integrator (Resource strategic goals, build resilient systems,
Mobilisation, Partnerships & Communications), focus on women involved in the livestock
Professional Assistance For Development Action sector, crops, income generation to nutrition. She
(PRADAN); Caren Grown, Senior Technical Advisor, also mentioned how women goat rearers in Bihar
Fiscal Policy, and former Global Director, Gender, were helped following the usage of WEIA data. She
World Bank Group; Chiara Kovarik, Program further talked about the 50x2030 Initiative Data-
Officer, Women's Empowerment, Agricultural Smart Agriculture, officially launched at the UN
Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation General Assembly in September 2018, which aims
(BMGF); Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Research to empower and support 50 low and lower-middle-
Fellow, IFPRI; Farzana Ramzan, Senior Gender income countries (L/LMICs) by 2030 to build strong
Advisor, Inclusive Development Division, Bureau for national and sustainable data systems that produce
Resilience and Food Security, United States Agency and use high-quality and timely agricultural data
for International Development (USAID). through survey programmes.
Caren Grown, Senior Technical Advisor, Farzana Ramzan, Senior Gender Advisor,
Fiscal Policy, and former Global Inclusive Development Division, Bureau for
Director, Gender, World Bank Resilience and Food Security, United
Group complimented the IFPRI States Agency for International
team for the metrics which have Development (USAID) talked about
been conducted by over 230 how WEIA data has become a game-
organisations across 58 countries. changer in agriculture nutrition and
How we engage more women in agri gender and is helping the Bangladesh
is what needs to be looked into. Women agencies government to strengthen its data systems.
can play a huge role in empowering more in the agri
sector. Even household surveys can play a major Sanjiv Das
role in overcoming the gender gaps which is a big
[email protected]
50 L E T S TA L K A G R I AGROSPECTRUM | MARCH 2022 | www.agrospectrumindia.com
Envisioning global agritech symbiosisuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the
agriculture sector, which is considered
the backbone of the Indian economy,
Dhas been significantly robust and
resilient, and innovations by agri startups have saw investments worth around $800 million until
2019. Currently, 700 agri startups in Israel are
addressing the various challenges of the country’s
agri and allied sector. A global R&D hub based
in Israel spends approximately 4 per cent of the
contributed enormously. The agritech sector has country's GDP in order to solve global challenges
grown in the last four years, thanks to the entry in innovation and hence attracts a sizable amount
of highly skilled entrepreneurs. Today, India of foreign investment too.
has over 700 agritech startups that offer tailored Similarly, The Netherlands has limited land
solutions and products to make the agricultural resources for agriculture – ~1.3 million hectare of
value chain more profitable and remunerative. grassland and 1.0 million hectare of arable land.
The Government of India's "Innovation and But, the country is the second highest exporter
Agri-Entrepreneurship Development" programme of agri produce in the world, home to one of the
supported 173 of these women startups. world’s pioneering agricultural research institutes
Furthermore, the Indian Council of Agriculture and is in the leadership position in dairy and
Research (ICAR) has been supporting agri- innovative foods. The Netherlands has focused
based startups through the National Agriculture on producing food in more sustainable ways. To
Innovation Fund (NAIF), which was launched stimulate innovation, the Dutch government offers
in 2016-17. Under the NAIF scheme, 50 Agri- competitive research incentives to fuel scientific
Business Incubation Centres (ABICs) have been entrepreneurship in agri and food systems.
established and are operational in the ICAR Just like India, China too, has issues such as
network. These programmes can help potential increasing population, small farmland holdings
female entrepreneurs. and focus on traditional farming techniques.
As a result, the participation of women in To overcome the issues, China has promoted
Indian agriculture is increasing, and we can farming among the youth (~4.5 million returned
expect to see more women startups in the to farms recently), made more investments
sector to bring in more diversity and build more worth $6 billion across ~300 deals, with 33 per
solutions for women farmers. According to the cent year-on-year growth and supported the
Registrar General of India's Census 2011, the total growth of agribusiness firms, which promotes
number of women farmers as cultivators in the sustainable agriculture. With over one-fifth of
country was 3.60 crore, and agricultural labour the world’s population and less than one-tenth
was 6.15 crore. of the agricultural land, China is leveraging its
While Indian agritechs embark upon their technology leadership in 5G, artificial intelligence
journey of prominence and profitability, it is (AI), advanced drones and digital trading
important to learn from a few of the best practices platforms to move away from traditional farming
from leading agritech countries like Israel, The practices.
Netherlands and China as suggested in the FICCI- It’s an opportune time to seek the right
PwC Knowledge report titled "Agri startups - partnerships with nations that are leading in
Fostering collaboration to bring paradigm shifts the agritech domain. Such collaboration will
in Indian agriculture. add value through innovation and help in
Despite limited natural resources, such as achieving shared goals. The efficient exchange
only 20 per cent of the land in Israel is arable, of technology, market interests and investments
shrinking water resources - only 90 cubic amongst countries would be highly useful
metres available per capita - compared to 1,069 in addressing mutual interests and building
in India, 1,927 in China and 8,615 in the USA, efficiencies in the sector.
soil structure unsuitable for farming, Israel’s Narayan Kulkarni,
agriculture sector contributes around 1.15 per Editor
cent of its GDP. Interestingly, Israeli agri startups [email protected]