NABARD
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
Government of India / Reserve Bank of India
India's apex rural & agricultural development bank, financing agri innovation since 1982.
NABARD at a glance
| Full name | National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development |
|---|---|
| Part of | Government of India / Reserve Bank of India |
| Established | 1982 |
| Address | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Programmes | 2 open calls right now |
| Official website | www.nabard.org |
Programs by NABARD
2 open now · 0 past · Filter all programs
Programs NABARD supports
Programs this organisation partners on, run by others. · 1 open now · 0 past
News
- Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India launches RSVC-AMRIT platform developed by NABARD to strengthen rural innovation and technology transferpib.gov.in · last month
- NABARD announces winners of National Climate Stack Innovation Challengethehindubusinessline.com · last month
- CFTRI, NABARD join hands to bolster agro-food processing in Kalyana Karnatakathehindu.com · last month
- NABARD and NSDC Launch 'Gramodyam' to Empower 4,000 Rural Entrepreneurs Across Indiaindianstartuptimes.com · 2 months ago
Source: Google News aggregated
About NABARD
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), established in 1982, is India's apex development bank for agriculture and the rural economy. Headquartered in Mumbai, NABARD provides credit, refinance, policy support and developmental funding to strengthen rural infrastructure, agriculture, cooperatives, regional rural banks and rural enterprise.
Relevance to startups. NABARD is one of the most significant institutional backers of agri-innovation in India, supporting agritech and rural startups directly and through partner incubators:
- NABVENTURES Fund: NABARD's venture arm operates a ₹500+ crore AIF investing in agri, food and rural-focused startups across seed to growth stages.
- Catalytic capital & grant programmes supporting Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), agri-startups and rural enterprises.
- Refinance and credit-guarantee mechanisms that lower the cost of capital for institutions backing rural entrepreneurs.
Developmental funds. NABARD administers the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), the Watershed and Tribal Development Funds, and a dedicated FPO promotion programme that has formed thousands of producer organisations — many becoming customers or partners for agritech startups.
Eligibility. Agritech and rural-focused startups, FPOs, cooperatives, NGOs and rural enterprises are eligible across NABARD's equity, grant and refinance instruments depending on the programme.
Who should engage. Founders in agritech, food value chains, rural fintech, climate-resilient agriculture and FPO enablement should explore NABVENTURES for equity and NABARD's grant/refinance programmes for non-dilutive support at nabard.org.
Who they work with
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Frequently asked questions about NABARD
What is the full form of NABARD?
NABARD stands for National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
What does NABARD do?
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), established in 1982, is India's apex development bank for agriculture and the rural economy.
Where is NABARD located?
NABARD is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
What programs does NABARD run?
NABARD currently has 2 open programmes: DIDF — Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund and ACABC — Agri Clinics and Agri Business Centres.
What sectors does NABARD support?
NABARD works with startups in Agritech, Rural Development, Financial Services and Agribusiness.
What stage of startup does NABARD support?
NABARD supports startups at the Validation, Early Revenue and Growth stages.
How do I apply to NABARD?
Applications run through each programme's own call. NABARD lists 2 open programmes — check the programme page for its deadline and eligibility, or apply via https://www.nabard.org/.
When was NABARD founded?
NABARD was founded in 1982. It operates as a government.
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