Sankalpaa Agri Initiatives

Why Most Agri & Rural Startups Fail (And No One Talks About It)

Let's be honest.

Every year, hundreds of agri-startups are launched, Most don't survive.

Not because farmers don't produce, Not because demand doesn't exist, Not because government schemes are missing, They fail because of structural mistakes.

Here are the uncomfortable truths,

1. They focus on production, not process design. Buying machines is not a business model. Without SOPs, quality control, and throughput planning, machinery becomes idle investment.

2. They ignore working capital reality. Processing requires raw material buffer, packaging inventory, logistics float. Many startups collapse not from losses but from cash flow pressure.

3. They chase grants instead of markets. Subsidy can support you.

It cannot sustain you.

Revenue discipline does.

4. They build capacity before building demand.

A 5-ton plant means nothing without consistent buyers. Market linkage must come before expansion.

5. They underestimate rural management complexity.

Training, supervision, quality consistency, and accountability require system building not optimism. Rural industrialisation is not a social media idea.

It is operational engineering.

Not building just a processing unit,

We need to build,

Process-first infrastructure

Market-backward planning

Women-led operational discipline

Long-term cluster scalability

Because rural transformation cannot be emotional.

It has to be structural.

If we want villages to become industrial contributors, we must think like industrialists not just farmers.

Real impact requires,

Discipline.

Design.

Demand.

Distribution.

Not just intention.

If you are building in rural India what is the biggest challenge you face today?

Let's discuss openly

With Team Lost Temples – I'm on a streak! I've been a top fan for 4 months in a row. 🎉

With Team Lost Temples – I'm on a streak! I've been a top fan for 3 months in a row. 🎉

With Team Lost Temples – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

Mill’s Food-Recycling System Gains Approval in Washington State

The WSDA has formally approved Mill's system for converting household food scraps into chicken feed, marking an achievement in the U.S.
Key Takeaways :

First-of-its-Kind Approval: The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has formally approved Mill’s system for converting household food scraps into chicken feed, marking a pioneering achievement in the U.S.
Addressing Food Waste and Sustainability: Mill’s technology offers a sustainable solution to food waste and livestock feed production challenges, aligning with efforts to utilize arable land more efficiently.

Regulatory Support and Implications: The approval follows a critical vote by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and a recommendation from the FDA, setting a precedent for future circular food systems.

Commitment to Local Food Systems: Mill emphasizes the importance of strengthening local food systems and reducing landfill waste with a process that also supports composting initiatives.

Mill, an award-winning food-recycling system, has received formal approval from the WSDA to distribute a chicken feed ingredient made from recovered household food scraps, a first in the United States. This approval introduces a novel method for reintegrating uneaten food scraps back into the food system, tackling the significant issue of food waste alongside the environmental impact of traditional livestock feed production.

Revolutionary Approach to Food Waste
Mill’s system enables households to recycle food scraps, converting them into a valuable resource for chicken feed. “At Mill, we believe in a future centered around strong local food systems and community networks that keep food out of landfills,” said Matt Rogers, co-founder and CEO of Mill. He highlighted the importance of regulatory recognition in advancing sustainable food waste solutions: “We give a lot of credit to regulators at AAFCO, FDA, and the Washington State Department of Agriculture for their diligence throughout this process.”

Regulatory Milestones and Future Potential
The system’s approval was made possible by a landmark decision from AAFCO members and guidance from the FDA, paving the way for Mill and potentially other systems to utilize recovered household food for animal feed. “The ability to transform household food scraps into resources for farmers means for Mill, and we’re optimistic about the additional innovation this can unlock,” Rogers expressed, underscoring the broader implications for sustainable agriculture and resource recovery.

Safety and Innovation in Food Recycling
Derek Sandison, Director of the WSDA, commended Mill’s innovative approach and collaboration throughout the certification process: “Retrieving and reusing household food waste as animal feed is an innovative concept, and I appreciate the diligence they exercised to ensure the safety and quality of their product.”

Process and Application
Mill’s kitchen bin dehydrates food scraps, turning them into dry, nutrient-rich grounds ideal for chicken diets or composting. This process offers an efficient way to manage kitchen waste and contributes to the sustainability of local farming practices. Customers can return the processed scraps to the Mill for conversion into chicken feed, use them in home composting, or engage in community food recycling efforts.

108000 crore subsidy on fertilisers by Government to ease out farmers from debt trap

The Central Government after considering the report of the Expert Committee and after consultation with the Registration Committee concluded that the use of three pesticides Dicofol, Dinocap, and Methomyl be discontinued due to the non-availability of data on safety and efficacy.

The original notification had listed the cause for banning of the 27 pesticides, ranging from endocrine disruption, being toxic for aquatic organisms, birds, and honey bees. However, these aspects were examined by the technical expert committee headed by Dr. T.P Rajendran which considered extensive data submitted by individual companies and associations to arrive at their conclusion.

The decision of the Ministry of Agriculture to ban 3 out of 27 pesticides has been a great relief for both the farming community and the agrochemical industry. The three pesticides banned are Dicofol, Dinocap, and Methomyl. The companies manufacturing these pesticides didn’t push to defend them as there are better alternatives available.

The Central Government issued a notification on 2nd Feb 2023 to prohibit these three pesticides for registration, import, manufacture, formulation, transport, sale, and use.

In addition to the three being banned, the central government on the recommendation of the expert committee decided to remove a few selected crops from the label claim for which the bio-efficacy and residue data was not available.

The 8 pesticides for which there is a change in label claim are Carbofuran, Malathion, Monocrotophos, Quinalphos, Mancozeb, Oxyfluorfen, Dimethoate, and Chlorpyriphos.

Kharif or the monsoon season is a major agriculture season in India accounting for 65% of cultivation spent for Indian farmers. In the global market, generic molecules continue to dominate with over 70% market share, which is also the trend in India. With continuation of these key 24 pesticides, the availability would increase & also ensure reasonable price, as compared with imported counterparts. This would facilitate in keeping cost of cultivation low. These products are recommended by most of the state Agricultural universities and are part of their package of practices as per industry experts.

The agriculture sector in India is growing year after year with the hard labour of farmers, the proficiency of scientists, the technological intervention of the private sector, farm mechanisation and the farmer-friendly policies of the Government. The second advance estimate of production of major crops released earlier this year by the ministry for 2022-23 is estimated to be 323.5 million tonnes which is higher by 7.9 million tonnes of the previous year with a record production of Rice at 130.8 million tonnes and Maize at 34.6 million tonnes.

However the Supreme Court on 27th March2023 had asked the Central Government to justify the ban on three pesticides out of the proposed 27 pesticides. A petition filed by an NGO is seeking a ban on all 27 pesticides. This would be heard with justification by the central government on 28th April 2023.

″To understand the the issue for example, India is using only 62,000 tons of pesticide and producing $ 534 billion worth of agriculture whereas Europe who advocates us to reduce use of pesticides are consuming 3,45,000 tons of pesticide with EU production of agriculture is $ 240 billion,″ commented Mr. Harish Mehta, senior advisor from CCFI.

In conclusion

The approved list includes widely used pesticides and a majority with no alternatives or substitutes. All these pesticides have been used by Indian farmers for the last 5 decades. The ban could have even impacted emergency control of invasive pests like locusts which entered India in September 2020 Their use by Government and private sector ensured in controlling this National menace. The 27 molecules cumulatively have over 130 formulations and combinations with a business value of about Rs. 15,500 crores including exports.

The complete list of 27 pesticides has Insecticides: Acephate, Benfuracarb, Carbofuran, Chlorpyriphos, Deltamethrin, Dicofol, Dimethoate, Malathion, Methomyl, Monocrotophos, Thiodicarb, and Quinalphos;

Herbicides: Atrazine, 2,4-D, Diuron, Butachlor, Oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, and Sulfosulfuron;

Fungicides: Carbendazim, Captan, Dinocap, Mancozeb, Thiophanate methyl, Thiram, Ziram, and Zineb.

I highly recommend the liquid waste decomposer created by Dr Krishan Chandra, the Vedic Scholar and distinguished Agricultural Scientist from NCOF, the National Center for Organic Farming, under the Ministry of Agriculture Goverment of India.

It's a bacterial culture inspired from the Vedas that contains over 80 different species of beneficial bacteria found in desi A2 hu**ed cows,

The culture contains all the useful varieties of microorganisms present in indigenous cattle urine & dung.
Including carbon fixing bacteria, anti-fungal and various disease fighting bacteria found in the soil.

The waste decomposer is now being manufactured under approval by HGH, Himagiri Green Herbals under brand name OWDC.

With a single bottle of OWDC, even those who don't have any Desi bovine or Agricultural expertise can now successfully do Organic farming or organic gardening at home.

We can easily buy the OWDC online on sites like Amazon and prepare the culture at home in a bucket / tank by mixing 1-2 tablespoons of it in water and 1% jaggery, wait 3-5 days n spray on plants, this gives excellent results in improving plant health, boosting plant immunity and growth manyfold, attracting earthworms into the soil and without the smell involved in panchagavya method.

One can keep on preparing new solutions from existing culture, thus, no need to buy any additional bottles for rest of life.

Mixing any existing chemical or organic fertilizers in the resulting solution, helps extract the micronutrients and spraying it on plants, further boosts their bioavailability to the plants and reduces the quantity required resulting in financial savings.

Even in chemical farming, it can be used simultaneously reducing fertilizers and pesticides input by over 75%.

Thousands of farmers have been posting their reviews online of the spectacular results they have achieved with OWDC in never seen before difference in leaf sizes and the unprecedented amount of fruiting and flowering being observed.

The culture doesn't have any side effects and in fact beneficial not just for all types of flora but even for animals and human health.

OWDC based sprays has been demonstrated to cure the cows from the lumpy skin disease epidemic.

A teaspoon full from the mother culture from food grade OWDC can be used to prepare curd from milk.

It safe enough to directly consume with a glass of water to improve metabolism, disease resistance and digestive power and helps control indigestion or diarrhea
while applying it on skin has shown great results in reversing eczema and fungal infections.

Millions of farmers, gardeners and plantation owners around India and abroad are now benefiting from this next green revolution.🙏🙏