In response to growing global environmental concerns, Jaggi Vasudev, also known as Sadhguru, initiated the Save Soil movement. As part of this initiative, the Agri-Startup Utsav 2.0 was organized. Over 5,000 individuals participated in this event, including farmers, homemakers, and youth, all seeking training and guidance on establishing sustainable agricultural businesses. Experts at the event consistently highlighted strategies for starting agricultural and profitable agribusinesses, thereby promoting entrepreneurship within the agricultural sector.
The Agri-Startup Utsav 2.0, a massive training seminar, was held on August 17th at the SRM University campus in Kattankulathur, Chennai. The event was a collaboration between Sadhguru’s Save Soil movement and the SRM Institute of Science and Technology. The day-long program aimed to empower participants with entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to make agriculture both profitable and sustainable. The event was also broadcast live, allowing hundreds of others to participate online and benefit from the training.
The program commenced with a speech by Swami Shrimukh, the coordinator of the Save Soil movement. Several individuals praised the initiative and training program. Attendees included Dhanalakshmi Vignesh, owner of Madurai Thana Food Products, who shared her experience of creating a special nutrient-rich flour for sugar patients using traditional rice varieties. She highlighted how her business expanded from this single product to over 100 food items, exporting to eight countries and generating a monthly income of 10 lakh rupees. The Save Soil movement promotes farmer-centric programs that encourage multi-cropping and natural agricultural practices to improve soil fertility, increase water retention capacity, reduce reliance on chemicals, and build resilience to climate change, resulting in higher yields, lower costs, and greater profitability. The movement has trained over 35,000 farmers, with over 10,000 successfully adopting natural farming practices in the previous year.