Shillong, November 4: Members of the Executive Board of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Wednesday concluded the Meghalaya leg of their annual country visit to India with an interaction with young entrepreneurs, programme grantees and startups at the PRIME Startup Hub in Shillong. The final day of the visit focused on agroecology, enterprise development and innovation, providing the international delegation with an opportunity to interact directly with entrepreneurs and understand the support available for business incubation, enterprise growth and market access in Meghalaya.
Introducing PRIME Meghalaya, Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) Executive Director Saloni Verma, IAS, highlighted the State Government’s efforts to strengthen the startup ecosystem through PRIME Urban and PRIME Rural initiatives. She informed that the initiatives have incubated several startups, supporting both technology-based ventures and livelihood-oriented enterprises across the state.
Explaining PRIME Rural’s doorstep incubation model, Verma said teams reach out to identify livelihood-based enterprises and develop customised solutions based on the requirements of individual entrepreneurs. She highlighted that PRIME Hubs are being planned to support livelihood-based enterprises operated by farmers, small business owners and women, alongside technology-based startups addressing specific market gaps. Priority is being given to innovative ventures seeking to achieve product-market fit and develop commercially sustainable business models.
Verma also informed the delegation that PRIME has extended zero-interest financial grants to startups through a jury-based selection process. She further highlighted the Chief Minister’s Elevate (CM Elevate) scheme, a microfinancing initiative supporting various categories of enterprises, including warehouses, tourism vehicles, common facility centres, and sports and wellness centres. Under the scheme, financial assistance covers 50 per cent of the project cost, while the remaining investment is supported through bank loans and contributions from beneficiaries. She explained that PRIME’s business facilitation vertical also provides tailor-made solutions for enterprises and groups that do not qualify under other existing government schemes. The initiative further promotes entrepreneurship through partnerships, participation in national and international festivals and conclaves, and entrepreneurship cells established in colleges across Meghalaya, in line with the Government of India’s Startup India initiative.
During the programme, Vivek Singh, representing the Investments in Agroecology Value Chains Project (IAVCP), presented an overview of the initiative aimed at increasing the incomes of small-scale agroecology producers and related Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The project provides investment support and technical assistance to strengthen agroecology-based enterprises and promote sustainable agricultural value chains.
According to the presentation, the project is supported by funding of EUR 12.86 million from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through IFAD. The project is being implemented from 2023 to December 2027, with Meghalaya among its 10 focus states. Singh informed that the initiative has so far funded 97 enterprises across 20 states, mobilising a total project outlay of Rs 188.5 crore from more than 1,400 concept notes received. Of the total amount, Rs 91.2 crore has been approved as IFAD grants, while Rs 62.3 crore had been disbursed as of October 15, 2026. Meghalaya ranks third among all states in terms of IFAD grant allocations, receiving Rs 8.19 crore under the initiative. Meanwhile, the five North-Eastern states together account for 20 projects, with total grants amounting to Rs 16.5 crore.
Following the presentations, the IFAD delegation held one-to-one interactions with selected entrepreneurs, including beneficiaries of the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project (M-LAMP) and startups supported under PRIME. The interactions provided the delegates with insights into the experiences of local entrepreneurs, including their business development journeys, challenges, incubation support and opportunities for expanding market access.
Speaking during the session, IFAD Country Director for India James Marc de Sousa-Shields highlighted the wider impact of initiatives such as PRIME beyond economic output and business profitability. He said such programmes generate significant benefits for local communities by creating employment opportunities, encouraging the circulation of income within the local economy and supporting environmental protection, cultural preservation and community well-being. He also observed that PRIME’s approach of connecting different forms of enterprise support was helping build a comprehensive startup ecosystem in Meghalaya.
According to him, the initiative enables entrepreneurs to progress from early-stage business ideas to established and mature enterprises by providing access to different support mechanisms. Over the three-day Meghalaya programme, the IFAD Executive Board delegation visited cooperative farms, Integrated Village Cooperative Societies (IVCS), Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), PRIME Hubs and agricultural processing units across Ri Bhoi district.
The delegation also held a high-level interaction with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma during the visit. The programme provided the delegation with an opportunity to assess Meghalaya’s initiatives in cooperative farming, agricultural value addition, entrepreneurship development and market linkages, while examining how these interventions contribute to rural livelihoods and inclusive economic development. The Meghalaya leg of the IFAD Executive Board’s annual country visit concluded with the interaction at the PRIME Startup Hub in Shillong.
