Uttar Pradesh Agritech Innovation Hub

• 10 Jul 2025

Why in News? 

The Union Education Minister inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh Agritech Innovation Hub and the Agritech Startup and Technology Showcase at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology (SVPUAT), Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

Key Points 

• Integration of Technology and Natural Farming: 
  • The importance of chemical-free, natural farming was highlighted, with a call for technology to bridge the gap between the field and the market.  
  • This initiative seeks to enhance sustainability and precision farming through technology such as IoT-enabled sensors, smart irrigation, and automation technologies, which can significantly contribute to the agricultural economy, especially in North India. 
• Focus on Skill Development and Rural Youth Empowerment: 
  • The event also stressed that the Agritech Innovation Hub is a collaborative ecosystem where farmers, technologists, and startups can co-create solutions for the future.  
  • The hub aims to empower rural youth and farmers to embrace the agritech revolution. 
• Technological Collaboration: 
  • An MoU was signed between IIT Ropar and SVPUAT for collaboration in agritech research and innovation.  
  • The hub is equipped with advanced data analytics platforms and real-time monitoring systems to facilitate data-driven decision-making for farmers. 
• Training and Capacity Building Initiatives: 
  • The initiative will also focus on training and capacity building through workshops and sessions for farmers and rural youth.  
  • Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) will play an essential role in training the farming community, ensuring effective technology adoption and knowledge transfer. 

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) 

• KVK is an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS). 
• The mandate of KVK is technology assessment and demonstration for its application and capacity development. 
• It aims at assessment of location specific technology modules in agriculture and allied enterprises, through technology assessment, refinement and demonstrations. 
• KVKs also produce quality technological products (seed, planting material, bio-agents, livestock) and make it available to farmers. 
• The KVK scheme is 100% financed by the Government of India and the KVKs are sanctioned to Agricultural Universities, ICAR institutes, related Government Departments and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) working in Agriculture. 

Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) 

• An FPO is a type of producer organisation (PO) with farmers as its members, and its promotion is supported by the Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).  
  • The FPOs were inspired by economist YK Alagh’s recommendation (2002) to amend the Companies Act, 1956.  
  • FPOs can be registered under the Companies Act, 2013, the Societies Registration Act, 1860, or as Public Trusts under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882.  
• A Producer Organisation is a group of producers, agricultural, non-farm, or artisan, that can take legal forms like producer companies or cooperatives, sharing profits among members.