Sadhguru’s Save Soil movement, in collaboration with SRM Institute of Science and Technology, will host the Agri Start-Up Festival 2.0, a major training seminar, on August 17 at the SRM University campus in Kattankulathur, Chennai. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, will participate as the chief guest and inaugurate the seminar.

Details of the event were shared at a press conference today at the Chennai Press Club by Swami Sreemukha, Coordinator of the Isha Save Soil movement, and Dr. M. Jawaharlal, Dean of SRM College of Agricultural Sciences.

Addressing the press conference, Swami Sreemukha said, “For many years, the Isha Save Soil movement has been conducting various training seminars on natural farming. Each year, we organize state-level mega training seminars, and every month, we hold a minimum of 5 to 10 one-day field training sessions. Through these initiatives, thousands of farmers have successfully transitioned to natural farming.”

Speaking further about the initiatives, he said, “Additionally, three-month free field training programs are offered at model natural farms established by the Save Soil movement in Semmedu, Coimbatore, and Tiruvannamalai. Farmers who participate in these training programs and excel in natural farming are being trained as ‘Natural Farming Trainers.’ Classes are also conducted at their farms.”

Last year’s seminar in Coimbatore attracted over 2,500 participants. Following its tremendous success, this year’s Agri Start-Up Festival 2.0 is being organized in partnership with SRM Institute of Science and Technology.

The seminar will cover a wide range of topics, including launching agriculture-based businesses, leveraging MSME schemes for growth, adopting effective branding and packaging strategies, and using social media for marketing. A distinguished lineup of industry experts will share their experiences and offer actionable insights.

R. Anand, Chief General Manager at NABARD, will outline various NABARD loan schemes, while Vasantha Kumar from Global Technology will speak on the latest trends and tools in digital marketing. Business strategy consultant M.K. Anand will explain MSME government schemes for accelerating agricultural business growth, and Vasanthan Selvam from the Periyakulam Horticulture Entrepreneurship Development Centre will discuss strategies for starting and scaling agri start-ups. Aswin Kumar, a packaging expert from Madurai, will discuss branding and packaging techniques, and Archana Stalin of Chennai’s My Harvest Farms will shed light on the profitability of chemical-free food products. Vaseegara Veda Vijay Mahadevan from Thanjavur and Dhanalakshmi Vignesh of Madurai’s Thana Food Products will share their expertise on value-added agricultural products, while Kannan Hari, founder of Palm Era in Thoothukudi, will discuss technologies for palm jaggery production.

The event will also feature an exhibition with over 100 stalls showcasing innovative agriculture-related products. The full-day program will run from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, presenting an invaluable opportunity to learn directly from experienced practitioners and take a significant step toward creating resilient, profitable agri-business.

The Save Soil movement, launched by Sadhguru, is a global initiative to combat soil degradation and restore soil health. As part of this mission, it runs a variety of programs for farmers, focusing on improving soil health while boosting their long-term productivity and income. By promoting practices that increase organic matter in the soil, the movement helps farmers enhance water retention, reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers, and build climate resilience. These measures lead to higher crop yields, lower input costs, and greater profitability. In addition, the movement conducts seminars and workshops to equip farmers with marketing skills and business proficiency, enabling them to become self-reliant entrepreneurs.

Those interested in participating in the seminar can register by contacting 83000 93777.