Budget 2021: 10 key asks from the Indian agritech entrepreneurs

Agritech entrepreneurs pitch for enhancing the use of technologies such as AI and digitisation to help improve yield, productivity and efficiency in the agriculture sector.

• Set up and strengthen farmer producer organisations (FPOs) to make it easier for private players to reach growers.
• Connect FPOs in a digitised way so that they can benefit from new technologies offered by agritech startups.
• Expand the scope of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund announced last year to increase warehousing facilities and strengthen the supply chain.
• Build on the Krishi Udaan logistics scheme unveiled last year to help farmers transport their produce by air.
• Explore a collaborative way where agritech startups, lenders, government and other stakeholders can work together to help grow the agriculture sector.
• Focus on accelerators and incubators to encourage more entrepreneurs look at solving problems of the agriculture sector.
• Accelerate the process of digitizing land records and share relevant data with agritech players.
• Promote the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and satellite imaging, and integrate these with schemes like PM Fasal Bima Yojana to improve efficiency.
• Create new vehicles to reach intended beneficiaries and smallholder farmers. These can include fintech and agritech startups as well as payment banks and small finance banks.
• Enhance access to capital to grow high-value crops and improve market linkages.

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