NEW DELHI, 8 July 2026: Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has launched PRAGATI, a nationwide initiative aimed at empowering 20,000 rural agri-entrepreneurs and directly supporting 20 lakh smallholder farmers through regenerative agriculture, entrepreneurship, and technology-driven advisory services.
The programme brings together a coalition of leading national and global organisations, including PepsiCo Foundation, State Bank of India Foundation (SBIF), Gates Foundation, IDH, Heifer International, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Global Agri Entrepreneurship Academy, Sustainable Agriculture Foundations International Association (SAFIA), Agri Entrepreneur Growth Foundation (AEGF), and Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF).
Building on an existing network of over 26,000 agri-entrepreneurs supporting 2.6 million farmers, PRAGATI aims to expand the ecosystem across Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
The initiative seeks to promote regenerative agriculture, climate-smart farming, mechanisation, financial inclusion, and improved market access while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural youth and women.
Focus on Farmer Income and Productivity
PRAGATI aims to increase farmer incomes by at least 30% while improving yields of major crops such as paddy, maize, and potato by 15–20%. The programme also plans to encourage at least 20% of participating farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices and diversified income opportunities.
It will establish 20,000 agri-entrepreneur-led kiosks offering services such as agronomy advisory, soil health management, farm mechanisation, access to credit, insurance, market linkages, and government welfare schemes.
Government Vision
Launching the initiative, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India cannot achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat without prosperous villages and a strong agricultural sector.
He said the government's focus extends beyond increasing agricultural production to reducing cultivation costs, promoting crop diversification, enhancing farmer incomes, and making agriculture more profitable.
Chouhan stressed that small and marginal farmers must increasingly adopt value addition, food processing, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, beekeeping, drones, digital advisory services, and scientific farming to improve their livelihoods.
Industry Partners Welcome Initiative
Monica Bauer, Senior Vice President, Global Social Impact at PepsiCo and President of the PepsiCo Foundation, said farmers are central to resilient food systems, adding that the partnership would help expand access to sustainable farming knowledge and tools.
Jagrut Kotecha, CEO of PepsiCo India and South Asia, said PRAGATI reflects the company's "Partnership of Progress" philosophy by bringing together organisations that can improve productivity, diversify farmer incomes, and strengthen rural livelihoods.
Swapan Dhan, Managing Director and CEO of SBI Foundation, described PRAGATI as a nationwide movement to create local agricultural changemakers capable of driving climate resilience, financial inclusion, and farmer prosperity.
Alan Johnson, Director at Global Agri Entrepreneurship Academy and Lead for Smallholder Farmers Supply Chain at IFC, said empowering rural youth and women through entrepreneurship would accelerate sustainable agricultural transformation.
Hisham Mundol, Chief Advisor-India at Environmental Defense Fund, said the initiative combines data-driven agriculture with strong last-mile delivery to improve productivity while reducing environmental impact.
Climate-Smart Agriculture
The programme places strong emphasis on regenerative and climate-resilient farming practices, enabling local entrepreneurs to deliver sustainable agricultural solutions within their communities.
A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework will track programme outcomes in real time, allowing continuous improvements based on evidence and field experience.
PRAGATI is expected to become one of India's largest privately led agri-entrepreneurship initiatives, promoting inclusive rural development while strengthening climate resilience, food security, and long-term agricultural sustainability.
