Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD)

What Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) does

Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) is an Indian non-governmental organization established in 2000 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, headquartered in New Delhi with a training centre in Lucknow and a goat farm cum training facility in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. The organization operates a pan-Indian program focused on agricultural development, rural rejuvenation, and agri-entrepreneurship, delivering interventions across crop agriculture, horticulture, livestock (goatery, dairy), and fisheries.

CARD's core product portfolio comprises the ACABC (Agri Clinic and Agri Business Training) Program launched in April 2008, which has trained 572 candidates across 17 batches from FY 2015-16 to FY 2019-20; the Bhagidari Agribusiness Centre network of 120 block-level centres across all districts of Uttar Pradesh; project facilitation services covering contract farming, organic farming advisory, Global GAP certification, and climate-smart agriculture; a planned 1-acre model precision agriculture farm leveraging GEO-ICT, robotics, big data, and earth observation; and a virtual farmer advisory mobile application for hi-tech agriculture expert interaction. Distribution combines a state coordinator network, partner-led training (KVKs, agricultural universities, ICAR, ICRISAT), and event-based engagement including the annual Spices Conference & Expo, Vibrant Northeast, and sector-specific entrepreneurship seminars.

CARD's revenue is generated through three primary streams: project facilitation and execution fees from corporates, institutions, and state governments; training and capacity-building program delivery; and event sponsorships with tiered packages (Rs. 0.75 Lac to Rs. 3.00 Lac + GST for the Spices Conference). It serves a diversified customer base including small and marginal farmers, Farmer Interest Groups, FPOs, agripreneurs, state governments, and corporate sponsors (Tata, Mahindra, Bayer, Syngenta, Aditya Birla Grasim, Godrej Agrovet, Mother Dairy, NABARD, SBI). CARD's 50+ technical partners and 50+ corporate sponsors form the backbone of its program delivery and project execution model.

Name

Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD)

Legal name

Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development

Website

https://card.org.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) is a non-profit NGO established in 2000 that delivers agricultural training, project facilitation, and rural development programs to small farmers, agripreneurs, FPOs, and state governments across India, anchored by 120 block-level Bhagidari Agribusiness Centres in Uttar Pradesh.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi, Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Project Facilitation and Execution: CARD executes agricultural projects funded by corporates, institutions, and State Governments. Revenue is generated through project fees, facilitation charges for contract farming services, and consultancy services for agricultural, horticultural, animal husbandry, and fisheries projects.
2. Training and Capacity Building Programs: CARD conducts ACABC (Agri Clinic and Agri Business Training) programs, farmer exposure visits, and capacity building workshops. Training programs are delivered at its facility in Indira Nagar, Lucknow, with trainees linked to banks for loans to establish ventures.
3. Event Sponsorships and Conference Revenue: CARD organizes large-scale conferences and expos (Spices Conference & Expo, Vibrant Northeast, Poultry/Horticulture/Fisheries Entrepreneurship Seminars) with tiered sponsorship packages (Title Sponsor at Rs. 3.00 Lac + GST, Sponsor at Rs. 1.50 Lac + GST, Co-Sponsor at Rs. 1.00 Lac + GST, Panel Sponsor at Rs. 0.75 Lac + GST) generating sponsorship revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CARD is a non-governmental organization that designs and delivers agricultural development and rural livelihood programs for small and marginal farmers, agripreneurs, Farmer Producer Organizations, and state governments across India. Its core offerings include the ACABC Training Program for agripreneurs, Bhagidari Agribusiness Centres (block-level service centres), Contract Farming facilitation, Organic Farming and Precision Agriculture advisory, Global GAP certification, Climate Smart Agriculture, and exposure visit programs. Revenue is generated through project facilitation, training services, and tiered event sponsorship packages.

Product overview

CARD is a non-governmental organization established in 2000 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, focused on advancing India's agrarian renaissance and rural rejuvenation. The organization operates a multi-faceted platform approach offering: (1) Training and capacity building programs including the ACABC Training Program for agripreneurs; (2) Livelihood Programs covering goat, fisheries, and dairy ventures; (3) Project Facilitation services including Contract Farming, Organic Farming, Precision Agriculture, Climate Smart Agriculture, and Global GAP certification; (4) The Bhagidari Agribusiness Centres network of 120+ block-level agribusiness centres in Uttar Pradesh; (5) Digital platforms like the Farmer Advisory mobile application for hi-tech agriculture. CARD serves as a coordination body connecting farmers with markets, knowledge institutions, and financial resources across India's agricultural ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bhagidari Agribusiness Centres: Block-level self-sustaining agribusiness centres set up under Uttar Pradesh Krishi Vikas Pariyojana, functioning as nodal growth bodies providing farmers IT-based information, training, facilitation, appropriate technologies, and backward & forward linkages.
• ACABC (Agri Clinic and Agri Business Training)

Products and services

• ACABC Training Program Agri Clinic and Agri Business Training program providing capacity building for rural youth and aspiring agripreneurs to start ventures in agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, and fisheries, with bank loan linkage support for venture establishment.
• Bhagidari Agribusiness Centres

Quantifiable outcome

• 120 Bhagidari Agribusiness Centres established across all districts of Uttar Pradesh under the Uttar Pradesh Krishi Vikas Pariyojana
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Department of Horticulture, Government of Uttar PradeshcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025CARD jointly with Department of Horticulture is organizing the 5th Edition of Spices Conference & Expo 2025 to bring all key stakeholders on one platform to showcase products and technologies and facilitate sourcing, supply chain, and marketing partnerships.
• GODAN (Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018CARD has developed a partnership with GODAN to capitalize on seeking international mileage in ICT for Agriculture domain, supporting CARD's precision agriculture and hi-tech farming initiatives with global open data resources.
• Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Uttar PradeshcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018CARD jointly organized the Poultry Entrepreneurship Seminar on 13 March 2018 with the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Uttar Pradesh, to promote entrepreneurship in the poultry sector for rural employment.
• Central Institute for Sub-Tropical Horticulture (CISH), LucknowcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018CARD collaborated with CISH Lucknow and BHAGIDARI Agribusiness Network to organize a Horticulture Entrepreneurship Seminar on 19 January 2018, focusing on tissue culture, polyhouses, nursery management, and value addition in fruits and vegetables.
• North Eastern Council (NEC), Government of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017NEC supported the Vibrant Northeast 2017 event organized by CARD, which brought together national and international stakeholders from industry, institutions, government, and development sectors to showcase programs, schemes, products, and technologies for the NE region.
• ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2000ICAR is a key technical partner providing scientific inputs and research support for CARD's agricultural programs. CARD works with ICAR to enhance fish production and productivity and coordinate fishery development in an integrated manner.
• ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2000ICRISAT is listed as a technical partner providing research support for CARD's agricultural development initiatives. Dr. William Dar, Former Director General of ICRISAT, serves on CARD's Advisory Board.
• Various State Governments (UP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, North Eastern States)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000CARD executes agricultural projects funded by various State Governments. Projects on Good Agricultural Practices have been executed in collaboration with corporates and State Governments in UP, Rajasthan, MH, HR, and NER, grouping small farmers into Farmer Interest Groups.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): Larger, government-backed Indian institution running skill development programmes across sectors including agriculture. Comparable to CARD's ACABC-style training and capacity-building approach, but at a national-scale, multi-sectoral remit.
• ITC e-Choupal: Large Indian corporate initiative providing digital agri-advisory, market access, and supply-chain linkages to small farmers. Comparable to CARD's farmer advisory, contract farming, and market-linkage agenda, but as part of a broader corporate portfolio.

Emerging players

• DeHaat: Indian agri-tech platform offering advisory, agri-inputs, and market access to smallholders. Comparable to CARD's farmer advisory, FPO engagement, and contract farming services, but delivered through a venture-backed digital platform.
• CropIn: Indian agri-tech platform using satellite, AI, and farm-management software for farmers, FPOs, and enterprises. Comparable to CARD's precision agriculture and ICT-based farmer advisory direction, but as a private SaaS business.
• Ninjacart: Indian agri supply-chain platform connecting farmers directly to retailers. Comparable to CARD's market-linkage and contract farming interventions, but operating as a private, venture-backed technology-enabled supply chain.

Direct peers

• PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action): Indian NGO working with rural poor women on livelihood programmes across multiple states. Directly comparable to CARD as an Indian rural-development NGO delivering training, FPO promotion, and agriculture/livelihood interventions at community scale.
• BAIF Development Research Foundation: Long-standing Indian development NGO focused on livestock (dairy, goat), agriculture, and rural livelihoods. Closely comparable to CARD given overlapping livestock-focused livelihoods, farmer training, and pan-Indian rural footprint.
• Digital Green: Tech-enabled agricultural extension organization producing video-based advisory for smallholder farmers, including in India. Comparable to CARD's ICT/GEO-ICT and mobile-app based farmer advisory thrust and its focus on small and marginal farmers.
• Action for Food Production (AFPRO): Indian NGO focused on agriculture, water resources, and rural development. Comparable to CARD's agricultural service delivery, training, and community-level intervention model across Indian states.
• Watershed Organization Trust (WOTR): Indian NGO working on watershed management, climate-resilient agriculture, and rural livelihoods. Comparable to CARD's climate-smart agriculture, capacity-building, and pan-India rural development programmes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Card_Agri
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSmGfLew8DLcRZ_2Ymycx7w
• Facebookfacebook.com/FollowCARD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-agriculture-and-rural-development-card
• Instagraminstagram.com/card_agri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD)