The Krishi Mangal Program is a collaborative initiative between Social Alpha and Cisco CSR, with strategic support from StartupTN. This partnership aims to revolutionise Indian agriculture by integrating deep-tech solutions into farming and allied rural livelihoods. Social Alpha, known for nurturing science and technology-based start-ups with high social impact, and Cisco CSR, with its commitment to technological innovation for community development, together envision a regenerative, climate-resilient future for smallholder farmers. The initiative goes beyond core agriculture to focus on sustainable, inclusive development across the rural economy.

Through a combination of innovation incubation, funding, and implementation support, the program empowers entrepreneurs to build impactful solutions addressing issues like soil degradation, water stress, mechanisation, post-harvest losses, and livestock waste. The program is built on the principles of environmental sustainability, technological advancement, and farmer-centric design. By enhancing awareness, improving profitability, and building long-term viability in rural livelihoods, Krishi Mangal aims to transform agriculture into a resilient and prosperous sector. This ecosystem is supported by expert mentorship, financial assistance, lab infrastructure, and field implementation opportunities that bridge the gap between ideation and large-scale impact, particularly for deep-tech start-ups focused on solving real-world rural challenges.

The Krishi Mangal Program offers a dual-pronged support system through field implementation grants and customised incubation funding. Selected start-ups can receive up to ₹50 lakhs to implement their solution in a real-world rural setting over 9–12 months. Additionally, early-stage ventures can access up to ₹5 lakhs for customised incubation support, including visibility, venture acceleration, and go-to-market strategies.

The program addresses critical agricultural and rural challenges across five focus areas: integrated farming management, soil rejuvenation and irrigation, farm mechanisation, post-harvest management, and livestock waste management. Deep-tech innovations using AI, IoT, biotechnology, nanotech, blockchain, and renewable energy are particularly encouraged. These solutions are expected to promote sustainability, improve efficiency, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost income for smallholder farmers.

Participants will also receive access to Social Alpha’s lab infrastructure, masterclasses from Cisco’s tech experts, networking with government and industry stakeholders, and advisory support on fundraising and investment. The aim is not just to develop cutting-edge technology but to implement it in a scalable, measurable, and socially impactful way. By providing both financial support and ecosystem access, the program nurtures start-ups to become long-term players in the sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods sector.