NGRAIN: Agripreneurship Program

The NGRAIN: Agripreneurship Program is launched by Nutrihub ICAR-IIMR, which operates as a Technology Business Incubator in Hyderabad. As a leading research institution under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) is dedicated to advancing research and development in millets, making Nutrihub an ideal incubator for fostering innovation in this vital sector. This significant initiative is offered under the auspices of the PM-RKVY (RKVY-RAFTAAR) Scheme, a crucial national program implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) within the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India. The PM-RKVY (RKVY-RAFTAAR), which stands for 'Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana – Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation,' aims to strengthen agricultural infrastructure, support entrepreneurship, and drive innovation across the agriculture and allied sectors, aligning perfectly with Nutrihub's mission. The Ministry holds a core mandate to advance agricultural development, ensure robust food security, and improve farmer livelihoods across the nation, actively championing agri-entrepreneurship through foundational schemes like RKVY-RAFTAAR. Nutrihub ICAR-IIMR plays a pivotal role by focusing these efforts on nurturing and accelerating innovative ventures, particularly those centered around millets, recognizing their increasing importance for health and environmental sustainability due to their nutritional value, drought resilience, and low carbon footprint. This program is precisely tailored to support established agripreneurs and growth-stage startups aiming for substantial expansion and market penetration.

This program offers substantial financial support through a Grant-in-Aid, providing up to ₹25 Lakhs to eligible agripreneurs and startups. This non-repayable grant is strategically designed to fuel significant expansion, enhance market penetration, and facilitate the scaling of successful millet-based innovations. The allocated funding can be strategically deployed for a wide array of growth-oriented activities. These include, but are not limited to, enhancing production capacities, expanding distribution networks to reach broader markets, conducting advanced research and development for product diversification, and implementing other critical strategies to achieve sustained growth and market leadership within the agri-food sector, thereby contributing to national food security and farmer prosperity.

Beyond the considerable financial injection, the NGRAIN program extends comprehensive non-monetary support. Participants gain access to intensive training modules that cover advanced aspects of business strategy, specialized technical knowledge related to large-scale millet processing and product commercialization, and sophisticated market access strategies. Complementary to this, the program provides access to experienced technical and business mentors. This support empowers agripreneurs to navigate complex market challenges, optimize their operational and business strategies, and significantly accelerate the growth and impact of their millet-focused ventures, thereby contributing to sustainable agricultural development and enhancing national food security.