PRAGATI Launched to Build 20,000 Agri-Entrepreneurs, Empower 20 Lakh Farmers Through Climate-Resilient Agriculture

The initiative is supported by a broad coalition of institutions, including the PepsiCo Foundation, SBI Foundation, Gates Foundation, IDH, Heifer International, Environmental Defense Fund, Global Agri Entrepreneurship Academy, Sustainable Agriculture Foundation's International Association, Agri Entrepreneur Growth Foundation, and Transform Rural India Foundation.

Building on an existing network of more than 26,000 agri-entrepreneurs that already supports 2.6 million farmers, PRAGATI seeks to add 20,000 new entrepreneurs and extend its reach to more than two million additional smallholder farmers across Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. The programme targets a 30 percent increase in farmer incomes and a 15 to 20 percent improvement in the yields of paddy, maize, and potato. It also aims to ensure that at least 20 percent of participating farmers adopt regenerative agricultural practices.

Under the initiative, 20,000 village-level kiosks will be established to provide agronomy advisory services, soil health support, mechanization assistance, credit linkages, and market access. The programme will also promote financial inclusion and digital inclusion to strengthen the rural agricultural ecosystem.

Speaking at the launch, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the vision of a developed India cannot be achieved without a developed agricultural sector and prosperous villages. He stated that the government's focus extends beyond increasing agricultural production to reducing cultivation costs, improving farmer incomes, promoting value addition, and encouraging agri-entrepreneurship. He identified horticulture, livestock, fisheries, beekeeping, drones, and digital advisory tools as critical drivers of the sector's future, adding that traditional farming methods alone would not be sufficient to secure the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers.

Industry and philanthropic leaders also underlined the importance of the initiative. Monica Bauer, Senior Vice President of Global Social Impact at PepsiCo and President of the PepsiCo Foundation, said farmers remain at the heart of the company's business and that strengthening their livelihoods is essential for building a more resilient food system. Jagrut Kotecha, Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo India and South Asia, described PRAGATI as a much-needed initiative that unites partners with a shared commitment, reflecting the company's Partnership of Progress philosophy.

SBI Foundation Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Swapan Dhan said PRAGATI represents more than the creation of agri-entrepreneurs, describing it as a nationwide movement of local changemakers who will advance farmer prosperity, climate resilience, and financial inclusion across rural India.

International partners described the programme as a scalable model for the Global South. Alan Johnson of the Global Agri Entrepreneurship Academy and the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group, said the initiative expands a proven agri-entrepreneurship model that transforms rural youth and women into catalysts of economic growth, innovation, and sustainable agricultural transformation. Hisham Mundol, Chief Advisor for India at the Environmental Defense Fund, said the programme places farmers and local entrepreneurs at the centre of climate-smart and efficient solutions by combining data-driven insights with last-mile service delivery. Dr. Simon Winter of the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation's International Association described PRAGATI as a significant step toward empowering a new generation of rural changemakers to accelerate the transition to regenerative and climate-resilient agriculture.

Rina Soni, Executive Director of Passing Gifts Private Limited, a Heifer International subsidiary, said the platform recognizes farmers not as passive beneficiaries but as entrepreneurs, leaders, and changemakers. She added that the initiative has the potential to make agriculture a profitable, sustainable, and aspirational profession for future generations.

With its extensive scale and multi-stakeholder approach, PRAGATI is positioned to become India's largest privately led agri-entrepreneurship programme. By placing local entrepreneurs at the centre of rural development, the initiative aims to strengthen climate resilience, improve farmer incomes, expand sustainable agricultural practices, and build a more inclusive and resilient rural economy.