PNN
New Delhi [India], March 1: In a remarkable endeavor to uplift the agrarian community of her native Bihar and foster employment opportunities within its villages, the illustrious Neetu Chandra--an acclaimed actress of both Hollywood and Bollywood, as well as a National Award-winning film producer--has taken a significant step as a co-founder of Agrifeeder Agricultural Services Private Limited, a pioneering startup nestled at Pirpainti, in the heart of Bhagalpur, Bihar.
The founders of 'Agrifeeder', Raman Kumar, Raunak Kumar and Priya Pandey aim to improve the living standards of small and marginal farmers. The company is currently working with a network of more than five thousand marginal farmers, including more than a thousand women farmers and is empowering them through indigenous food categories, packaging, and supply chain. Raman Kumar said, "We are excited to have Hollywood and Bollywood actress Neetu Chandra on board. Her involvement will contribute to the rapid growth of the brand. Agrifeeder is a unique platform for farmers that helps them deliver their products directly to consumers." It is notable that Neetu Chandra, who originally hails from Patna, the capital of Bihar, is deeply connected to her roots. Her understanding of the challenges faced by the rural communities of Bihar, especially in the agriculture sector, makes her a powerful voice to push Agrifeeder forward. She is also deeply committed to supporting initiatives that empower farmers and contribute to the overall development of her home state. Neetu Chandra is a sports enthusiast and classical dancer who has won multiple competitions for both India and Bihar in Taekwondo. Neetu is also a nationally recognized filmmaker who has created jobs in the state through her production company, Champaran Talkies. Her personal connection to Bihar, coupled with her global recognition, makes her an ideal co-founder and face for Agrifeeder, it can be of help in their mission to empower farmers and expand their reach.
The aim of this collaboration is to enhance the global presence of the Agrifeeder brand and promote its commitment to empowering the farming community of Bihar, says Raman Kumar. Through its omni-channel business model, Agrifeeder provides critical coordination support and market access, ensuring quality control and branding, which helps farmers sell their produce and value-added products directly to customers, improving income by up to Rs 1,000 per month. The brand is developing a sales strategy that will generate demand for Bihar's core products like rice, sattu, jaggery, jardalu mango thereby reaching one million plus end-consumers globally in the next three years.
Expressing her excitement on joining as co-founder, Neetu Chandra says, 'I recognize the challenges faced by farmers in Bihar, especially women, in accessing markets and receiving fair compensation for their hard work. The 'Agrifeeder' business model allows farmers to bypass middlemen, sell value-added products with recognized branding, and earn a more sustainable income.' Neetu Chandra says, "The fact of more than one thousand women farmers being part of the 'Agrifeeder' network and experiencing these income improvements underlines this initiative's commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment in agriculture."
Brothers Raunak Kumar and Raman Kumar, who come from an agricultural family, realized the challenges of the agriculture sector at an early age. Raman, who did his MBA from ISBR Business School, was introduced to entrepreneurship during a seminar in his college. Raman discussed the idea with Raunak, who had just completed his engineering from Anna University, and decided to start his own business in the agri-tech sector. In 2017, Raman along with wife Priya Pandey and elder brother Raunak started 'Agrifeeder' in Pirpainti, Bihar.
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