India feeds over a billion people. And yet the systems behind that feat — the farms, the supply chains, the technology — are quietly crumbling under the weight of climate change, low productivity, and market inefficiencies. The government knows it. And now it's paying people to fix it.

The Centre for Innovation and Agripreneurship at MANAGE has opened applications for the RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubation Programme — a government-backed initiative designed to turn innovative agricultural ideas into real, fundable businesses.

 The money on the table is real. Early-stage idea holders can receive up to ₹5 lakh for prototype development. Students building agribusiness concepts can access up to ₹4 lakh. And seed-stage startups ready to commercialise are eligible for grants of up to ₹25 lakh. Vajiram and Ravi

But it's not just about the funding. Every selected participant goes through a one-month intensive mentoring programme — covering business model development, market validation, financial planning, and a formal pitch to an evaluation committee of industry experts and agribusiness professionals.

The programme is open to agri-startups, agripreneurs, students, and young innovators — essentially anyone with a scalable idea that genuinely improves farmer livelihoods or agricultural productivity.