- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:56 AM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
The Setu Aayog (Setu Commission), in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and the Agriculture Department, is taking steps to solve the problems of farmers and to strengthen the agricultural startup ecosystem in Uttarakhand's mountainous regions.
In this regard, pilot projects have been launched in Agrakhal, Tehri, Pati and Champawat, to find solutions for problems related to crop protection from wildlife, pests and diseases in crops, low use of machinery in farming, affordable cold storage, and soil testing.
Additionally, special emphasis is being placed on startups in the agricultural sector. To improve the state of agriculture, the Vice-Chairman of the Setu Commission, Rajshekhar Joshi, held meetings in Dehradun and Tehri regarding these projects.
Participants included the Gates Foundation and its partner organisation Social Alpha, NABARD, the Agriculture Department, KVKs (Krishi Vigyan Kendras), district administration officials, FPO representatives, and farmers.
According to the commission's Vice-Chairman Joshi, the Gates Foundation will arrange the funding for these pilot projects. He stated that our goal is to connect the state's farmers with the country's best solutions, provide buyers, improve farming methods, strengthen cooperative societies, and increase the use of technology.
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The Vice-Chairman said, selected agricultural startups from the state will now have the opportunity to connect with new markets at the national level, with the project to open up avenues for permanent solutions to the problems of farming in the mountains. He mentioned that the Setu Commission has also launched the Agrpum programme, which is focused on the farmers of Agrakhal. Under this, there is a plan to connect local FPOs with large buyers.