Executive Summary:
This document presents the impact of the Agri Clinic and Agribusiness Centres (ACABC) Scheme in India as of August 12, 2025. It provides quantitative data on the scheme's impact on agricultural productivity, technology adoption, and farmer incomes, with specific details for Maharashtra. The document also outlines the geographical reach of these centers and the employment generated.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **ACABC Scheme Establishment and Impact:**
* A total of 41,664 ventures have been established under the ACABC Scheme since 2002, including 13,263 in Maharashtra.
* Impact evaluation studies show increased awareness among farmers regarding scientific farming practices, leading to higher production per hectare and improved cropping intensity.
* 82% of farmers experienced increased productivity.
* 71% achieved optimum usage of farm inputs.
* 72% improved plant protection practices.
* 14% improved production knowledge.
* 98% of farmers confirmed receiving relevant and useful information from agripreneurs.
* 86% of farmers reported increased income or yield as a result of following agripreneurs’ advice.
* **Reach and Service:**
* Each operational agriclinic and agribusiness serves approximately 1410 farmers, averaging 47 farmers each across 30 villages.
* The document includes a state-wise breakdown of the number of districts with ACABC ventures, the number of ventures established, and the approximate number of farmers served by these ventures.
* **Employment Generation:**
* Each ACABC enterprise generates employment for more than six persons on average, with about 90% receiving direct employment.
Impact Analysis:
* Farmers:
* Impact: Increased awareness of scientific farming practices, higher production per hectare, improved income/yield, and access to relevant agricultural information.
* Action Required: Implement advice and information received from agripreneurs to improve farming practices and increase income.
* Agripreneurs (ACABC Venture Operators):
* Impact: Establishment of agribusiness ventures, provision of agricultural services and information to farmers, and generation of employment.
* Action Required: Continue providing relevant and useful information to farmers, maintain and expand operations to serve more farmers, and create employment opportunities.
* Government (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare):
* Impact: Achievement of scheme objectives related to increased agricultural productivity, technology adoption, and farmer incomes. Data for impact assessment and future policy decisions.
* Action Required: Monitor the performance of the ACABC Scheme, conduct further impact evaluations, and use findings to refine and improve the scheme's effectiveness.
Key Entities Referenced
Agri Clinic and Agribusiness Centres ACABC Scheme: A government scheme focused on establishing agri clinics and agribusiness centers to improve agricultural practices and farmer incomes.
Maharashtra: A state in India with a significant number of ACABC ventures and farmers served under the scheme.
SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH: Member of LOK SABHA who raised a question about the impact of the ACABC scheme.
SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE: Member of LOK SABHA who raised a question about the impact of the ACABC scheme.
SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR: Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare who provided the answer to the LOK SABHA question.
LOK SABHA: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the questions regarding the ACABC scheme were raised.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India with a specific number of ACABC ventures and farmers served.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India with a specific number of ACABC ventures and farmers served.
O.I.H
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4296
TO BE ANSWERED ON 19TH AUGUST, 2025
IMPACT OF AC&ABC SCHEME
4296. SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH:
SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान
क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी be pleased to state:
(a) the quantitative impact of the Agri Clinic and Agribusiness Centres (AC&ABC)
Scheme in the country on increasing agricultural productivity, adoption of improved
technologies and increasing the incomes of farmers receiving services from these
centres, State and district-wise particularly in Maharashtra;
(b) the number of farmers on average being served by each operational agri-clinic
and agri-business, State-wise particularly in Maharashtra;
(c) the geographical reach of these centres; and
(d) whether indirect employment has been generated due to setting up of AC&ABC
enterprises particularly in remote and under-served rural areas of Maharashtra?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य मं(cid:287)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a): As of 12.08.2025, a total of 41,664 ventures have been established under the Agri-
Clinics and Agri-Business Centres (AC&ABC) Scheme across the country, including
13,263 ventures in Maharashtra, State since its inception in 2002. Two major impact
evaluation studies on the AC&ABC Scheme were conducted to assess its outcomes.
These studies revealed that the major benefit was an increase in awareness among
farmers regarding scientific farming practices, which led to higher production per
hectare and improved cropping intensity. The quantitative data showed that 82% of
farmers experienced increased productivity, 71% achieved optimum usage of farm
inputs, 72% improved plant protection practices and 14% improved production
knowledge. The findings showed a consistently positive impact of the scheme. Almost
all farmers surveyed (98%) confirmed receiving relevant and useful information from
agripreneurs, with 81% obtaining crop-related details and 23% receiving information on
dairy. 86% of farmers reported increased income or yield as a result of following
agripreneurs’ advice.(b): The number of farmers on average being served by the each operational agri-clinic
and agri business across the country including Maharashtra is about 1410 spread at an
average of 47 farmers each in 30 villages.
(c): The district wise spread of Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres in the country
including Maharashtra State is given below:
Sl. No. State Number of Number of Approximate
Districts with AC&ABC Number of
AC&ABC Ventures farmers being
Ventures established served by Agri-
ventures
1. Andhra Pradesh 19 538 758580
2. Arunachal Pradesh 3 3 4230
3. Assam 24 281 396210
4. Bihar 42 1630 2298300
5. Chandigarh 1 2 2820
6. Chhattisgarh 25 424 597840
7. Delhi 3 6 8460
8. Goa 1 10 14100
9. Gujarat 33 916 1291560
10. Haryana 18 251 353910
11. Himachal Pradesh 10 112 157920
12. Jammu & Kashmir 17 191 269310
13. Jharkhand 22 222 313020
14. Karnataka 43 1968 2774880
15. Kerala 13 87 122670
16. Madhya Pradesh 53 2718 3832380
17. Maharashtra 36 13263 18700830
18. Manipur 9 135 190350
19. Meghalaya 3 4 5640
20. Nagaland 4 22 31020
21. Odisha 18 116 163560
22. Puducherry 3 92 129720
23. Punjab 18 225 317250
24. Rajasthan 34 2044 2882040
25. Sikkim 1 1 1410
26. Tamil Nadu 38 5091 7178310
27. Telangana 32 668 941880
28. Tripura 2 2 2820
29. Uttar Pradesh 95 10087 14222670
30. Uttarakhand 9 212 298920
31. West Bengal 20 343 483630
TOTAL 649 41664 58746240
(d): As per the impact evaluation report each AC&ABC enterprise generated, on
average, employment for more than six persons, with about 90% of them receiving
direct employment.
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