Context:
Recently, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare launched the AgriSURE Fund and Krishi Nivesh Portal.
More on the News
- Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister also conferred Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Excellence Awards to the top-performing Banks and States under various categories.
- This Award Ceremony will serve to inspire other Banks also to enhance their performance, thereby contributing to the overall success of the AIF scheme.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme
- It was launched in 2020 to provide long-term financial assistance to build infrastructure for the post-harvest stage of agriculture.
- In the budget announcement made in February 2021, it was decided to extend the benefit of the scheme to Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs).
Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises (AgriSURE)
- The AgriSURE Fund aims to support those start-ups that works towards the development in agriculture-boosting ideas and plans.
- The fund will be launched with an initial corpus of ₹750 Crore which includes ₹250 Crores each from NABARD and the Ministry of Agriculture, and ₹250 Crores from other institutions.
- The Fund is registered as a Category-II Alternative Investment Fund with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), offering both equity and debt support.
- The fund aims to support start-ups and agripreneurs by enhancing farm produce value chains, developing rural infrastructure, and backing Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs).
Krishi Nivesh Portal
- The government started the development of the Agriculture Investment Portal named “KrishiNivesh” on 5th Dec 2022 to boost the agriculture investment in the country.
- It is a one-stop Portal for all agri-investors to avail benefits from various Government schemes.
- The portal is designed to streamline the investment process, making it more transparent and efficient.
Significance
- The AgriSURE funds scheme is a way forward for India to achieve its dream of a Viksit Bharat.
- It will drive innovation in agriculture, create employment opportunities, and provide IT-based solutions and machinery rental services for farmers.
- The Krishi Nivesh Portal will transform the agricultural landscape by centralising investment opportunities and information.