• Agriculture is the most important sector of the State's economy accounting for about 29% of the State's income. Largely as a consequence of the increase in population, the per capita availability of land is declining. Although the share of the agriculture in GDP has been declining, the population dependent on agriculture, in proportion has reduced only marginally. Agriculture and economic activities related to it would continue to be a significant factor in Kerala's economic development. To sustain the farmers and to attract youth towards agriculture sector, agriculture has to become remunerative and competitive. Agribusiness thus assumes crucial importance, especially in the globalised era.
• There is a need for identification, promotion and co-ordination of agribusiness activities in rural areas and an organisational set up to provide technical, financial, entrepreneurial and other support. Greater attention has to be paid to post harvest technologies and technologies for promoting intensification, product diversification, value addition and by-product utilisation with due importance to quality aspects. These are expected to increase income growth. Utilisation of the entire biomass in generating value added products through many downstream small scale units in the rural areas will help in augmenting employment opportunities.
• The principal objective of SFAC is to promote agribusiness ventures so that the small and marginal farmers in the State get the benefit of processing and value addition and thereby make farming sustainable in the State. The agribusiness ventures have to be technically feasible, economically viable, ecologically sustainable and socially acceptable based on use of local resources
 Potential Agribusiness ventures .
• Assistance from SFAC
SFAC propose to extend assistance through the Krishi Bhavans for the following: -
• Arranging training programmes
• Provide seed money / working capital for setting up such units
• Sharing of part / whole of technology cost associated with procuring technology
• Sponsor conduct of seminars / exhibitions / workshops
• Arrange institutional credit support
• Facilitation of marketing
• Mode of implementation
The Agricultural Officer will identify suitable agribusiness ventures and prepare a Project report and forward it to SFAC through the Principal Agricultural Officer of the district. SFAC will appraise the Project in consultation with the various Govt. agencies, Agricultural University , NGOs and farmers. The Agricultural Officer will be the nodal implementing officer of the programme.
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