One of the most important personality traits of an entrepreneur is their drive to ‘do’ things and therefore, they will find every possible opportunity and means to face challenges and achieve their goals. This optimism is perhaps one of the common traits an entrepreneur shares with a farmer. For most farmers, agriculture is not just a job - they till the earth with the hope that it will be bountiful in more ways than one.  

Here is why we are waxing eloquent about farmers and entrepreneurs - India is seeing a new trend of entrepreneurship in agriculture, especially in the rural areas.

What are the opportunities?

Rural entrepreneurship in agriculture has taken on various shapes and forms. Youngsters aiming to make a change in the agriculture sector are taking the entrepreneurial route to explore opportunities such as:

• Applying latest technology to farming
• Mitigating the risks associated with farming
• More equitable distribution of farm produce
• Helping the farmers understand more about supply chain management 
• Providing livelihood in agriculture and allied sectors

The rise of agro-based industries in rural areas is giving entrepreneurs a whole new world to explore when it comes to making a difference in villages and non-urban areas. 

Activities of rural entrepreneurship in agriculture

The rural entrepreneur is not limiting themselves to growing crops in fields. They are also including:

• Consultancy services
• Offering the latest infotech support
• Creating value added products - jams, pickles and so on
• Organic farming
• Engineering support - repair and service agricultural machinery like pumps and tractors
• Financial support and so on

These farm entrepreneurs are aiding agriculture in many different ways. 

Support for rural entrepreneurship

Corporates and government agencies and even NGOs are rendering support for this rural entrepreneurial dynamism in different ways. For instance, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has several schemes to develop rural off farm sectors. Institutes like Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education (MGNCRE) under the Ministry of Human Resource Development have a course for rural entrepreneurship that specifically helps promote the entrepreneurial spirit in rural youth. 

Just a while back, the Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chains (FDRVC), a joint initiative of Ministry of Rural Development and Tata Trusts) partnered with Innoterra, an Indo-Swiss company, to help connect markets and farmer collectives thus boosting rural entrepreneurship.

Incubation programs such as the alliance between IIM Bengaluru and the Buddha Fellowship Program or BFP are creating an ecosystem to attract young talent and provide them the knowledge and support they need to make a difference in the world of rural agriculture.  

Challenges in this sector

Every entrepreneur faces a unique set of challenges and a rural entrepreneur is no different. Some of the main bottlenecks are:

• Paucity of training
• Lack of technical knowledge
• Low levels of experience and expertise in this area
• Financial support

And hopefully, with the growing awareness that rural entrepreneurship can be a powerful tool in affording a farmer a better way to cultivate crops and prevent migration to urban areas, these challenges will be met with ever-increasing efficient solutions as well.