Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday, 7 July launched PRAGATI, a structured agri-entrepreneurship programme aimed at empowering 20,000 agri-entrepreneurs and directly supporting 20 lakh farmers across India. The initiative marks one of the most ambitious single-programme pushes under the current agricultural ministry to bridge the gap between smallholder farming and market-linked enterprise.

What PRAGATI Aims to Deliver

The programme is designed to build a nationwide ecosystem of agri-entrepreneurs, layered on top of an existing network of over 26,000 agri-entrepreneurs already active across the country. Its stated goals include connecting farmers with technology, farm mechanisation, soil health management, and improved market access — with a strong emphasis on inclusive participation and balanced representation within the agricultural sector.

Chouhan said the government's agenda extends well beyond boosting crop output. “The focus is not limited to increasing agricultural production, but also includes reducing cultivation costs, increasing farmers’ incomes, promoting crop diversification, and making agriculture more profitable,” he said. He added that traditional farming alone is insufficient for small and marginal farmers, making value addition, food processing, and agriculture-based entrepreneurship essential levers for income growth.

Design and Institutional Backing

PRAGATI has been developed with the support of several foundations, including the State Bank of India Foundation (SBIF) and the Gates Foundation. The programme draws on learnings from prior agri-entrepreneurship initiatives implemented across multiple Indian states. It is explicitly positioned as a climate-resilient regenerative agriculture initiative aimed at transforming the smallholder farming landscape at scale.

Monica Bauer, Senior Vice President, Global Social Impact, of a foundation supporting the initiative, said farmers play a vital role in driving local economies and that supporting their livelihoods is essential to building a more resilient food system. Her colleague Jagrut Kotecha said the programme aims to expand access to the tools and knowledge farmers need to grow more sustainably and to strengthen food systems for generations to come.

States Covered Under the Programme

PRAGATI will be implemented across key agricultural states: Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. The multi-state rollout reflects an intent to concentrate impact in regions where smallholder farming dominates and income vulnerability is highest.

Broader Policy Context

Chouhan framed the launch within the government’s Viksit Bharat@2047 vision, arguing that a developed agricultural sector and prosperous villages are prerequisites for that goal. This comes amid persistent concerns about farmer income stagnation and rural distress, with agriculture’s contribution to GDP declining even as it continues to employ a large share of India’s workforce. PRAGATI is positioned as an extension of ongoing policy efforts to make farming economically viable for the next generation of rural entrepreneurs.

With implementation set to span eight states and a target of adding 20,000 new agri-entrepreneurs to an already established network, the programme’s execution and measurable outcomes will be closely watched by both policymakers and development finance institutions involved in its design.