Breaking ground and filling the gaps

Unfortunately, not all states are equally upbeat about agri-start-ups and the role they can play in the development of the agri-rural sector

Start-ups in the farm sector, though few compared to those in other sectors, have begun to make their presence felt through hi-tech interventions in agriculture and offering innovative means of augmenting farmers’ income. They have taken up the challenge of uplifting the technological base of Indian farming — a task that was till recently being handled primarily by government departments and public-sector institutions engaged in agricultural research and extension. Most of these debutant but rapidly growing business ventures are providing consultancy and select services in fields like custom-hiring of agricultural machinery, including drones, sale and purchase of farm inputs and