Bhubaneswar: A workshop on agri startups was organised by Madhusudan Institute of Cooperative Management. The workshop was inaugurated by Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain.
Addressing the gathering, Swain emphasised on the role of democratic organisations like cooperatives in agri startups. He highlighted the adoption of 5T’s as advocated by the chief minister of Odisha in improving the conditions of the farmers in the state by transforming agriculture through modern technology, thus making Odisha self-sufficient in food production. He also opined that the technology is often used by the state for the benefit of farmers and entrepreneurs and it should be used more prominently in the future to serve the cause of farmers.
According to reports, the total funding in agritech startups in India has grown from $46.1 million in 2017 to $66.6 million in 2018 which shows the growing appetite of investors and their belief in the potential of agritech in India. It also shows the business opportunities in agriculture sector for agro-based industries.
The cooperatives which exclusively work for marginal and weaker sections of the society at the grassroots level can help imbibe the ideas of startups to serve the cause of farmers in doubling their income as well as to create employment opportunities in Odisha.