MAITRI
A programme by Pusa Krishi, ICAR-IARI
Pusa Krishi's international collaboration programme, whose India-Brazil editions brought startups and incubators together in 2019, 2021 and 2025.
At a glance
| Best for | Agri startups and incubators taking part in an international exchange |
|---|---|
| Duration | 10 to 14 days per edition |
| Format | In person |
| Run with | Embassy of Brazil, New Delhi, ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, Department of Science and Technology (DST), ICAR-NIVEDI, Bengaluru |
About MAITRI
MAITRI is not an open intake. It is Pusa Krishi's route for building cross-border partnerships in agriculture — knowledge exchange between partner countries, and market access across borders. The India-Brazil strand was launched in 2019 with the Embassy of Brazil in New Delhi and ICAR-IIMR Hyderabad, with support from the Department of Science and Technology, and ran at Pusa Krishi from 9 to 15 December 2019. A ten-day virtual edition followed on 7 December 2021. MAITRI 2.0 launched on 22 September 2025 as a ten-day programme focused on agri-incubators, with six days at ICAR-IARI in New Delhi and four at ICAR-NIVEDI in Bengaluru, including expert sessions, panel discussions and field visits.
What you get
- Market linkages in the partner countries
- Focused visits to partner institutions abroad
- Incubation and commercialization support in partner countries
- Collaboration with international startups
- Training and workshops with global experts
- Access to infrastructure at IARI
How to apply: No open call is published. Watch the MAITRI page and the Latest News page for the next edition.
Where to apply
Other Pusa Krishi, ICAR-IARI programmes
- ARISEPusa Krishi's entry-level incubation programme for idea and prototype-stage agri innovations, which opens into a year of incubation with grant support.
- UPJAIncubation programme for agri startups with a product already at minimum viable product stage, carrying Pusa Krishi's largest grant support.
- SHITIJA year-long incubation programme that opens with fifteen days of in-person training and mentoring at Pusa Krishi.
- ICAR SHITIJ 2.0An ICAR-wide incubation programme delivered hub-and-spoke across the ICAR Agribusiness Incubation Centre network, with a two-month online phase.
- BEEJA fourteen-day online pre-incubation masterclass series for students and first-time founders in agri-tech, ending in a certificate.
- Her HarvestA five-day online workshop series with women entrepreneurs and changemakers, charged as a one-time fee.
- SAMARTHA capacity-building programme for agri-incubators and incubation managers in the RKVY-RAFTAAR network — not a startup intake.
- Agripreneurship development trainingsShort, paid, hands-on courses at the Pusa campus run with ICAR-IARI's subject divisions — the one thing usually open to register for between intakes.