Agri startups blending traditional farming with tech to boost rural health, jobs: Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) Startups in agriculture are intelligently blending traditional organic farming practices with technology to drive livelihood opportunities in rural areas, said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Saturday.

Addressing the "Natural and Organic Farmers Summit 2025" at Shankarpalli near Hyderabad, the Minister lauded the efforts of grassroots innovators and farmer-entrepreneurs who are embracing science to scale up agriculture, enhance productivity, and ensure sustainable incomes.

“Startups in agriculture are not just about farming anymore,” Singh said.

“They are applying science, using innovations developed by institutions like CSIR, and adopting tools like drones and soil health cards to make farming more productive and cost-effective. With this, they are cultivating more in less time while safeguarding health and the environment.

“Agri startups are fast emerging as lucrative avenues of livelihood by intelligently blending traditional organic farming practices with cutting-edge scientific technologies,” the MoS noted.

Singh emphasised that organic agriculture, once considered difficult and niche, is now poised to become mainstream-driven because of increasing health concerns and awareness about the harmful effects of chemical pesticides in increasing lifestyle-related diseases.

“Every third person today is either diabetic or has fatty liver. Cancer cases are rising. The possible role of chemically laden produce cannot be ignored. Organic farming is not just a healthier choice, but a necessary one,” the Minister said.

Further, he pointed to the broader impact of agri-startups on employment generation and rural development, citing the success of initiatives like the Purple Revolution and the Aroma Mission.

Singh also spotlighted emerging technologies like the Pheromone Application Device (PAD) being developed by IIT Hyderabad to reduce pesticide usage through eco-friendly pest control methods.

The Minister reinforced that India’s march to become a developed nation by 2047 would be incomplete without uplifting the rural economy and tapping into the vast, underexplored potential of agriculture.

“The farmer of today is an agri-entrepreneur. And the field is no longer a place of hardship but a hub of opportunity,” he said.

--IANS

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