The Indian agriculture sector, supporting 58% of the population, contributes 18% to India’s GDP and ranks among the world's leading agriculture producers.

While India is a food surplus economy, challenges in efficient global and domestic marketing persist, impacting farm incomes regardless of harvest quality.
Despite comparative advantages in processing, the country's share in global agri exports remains low.

Grant Thornton Bharat strives to address constraints like small holdings, low productivity, regulatory concerns, distress sales, and post-harvest losses, aiming to propel the sector towards global market leadership.

The Grant Thornton Bharat advantage

  • Field-Level implementation
  • Productive partnership approach
  • DigiTech services
  • Field-Level implementation
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    We implement development projects at the field level: establishing startups, promoting MSME clusters, supporting FPOs, and strengthening national and regional value chains.
  • Productive partnership approach
    Productive partnership approach
    We form productive partnerships with public and private business development providers, enterprises, and institutions at the national and international levels to deliver comprehensive services.
  • DigiTech services
    DigiTech services
    We specialise in developing agri-stacks, farmer digitisation, marketing portals, auction facilities, and more to enhance digital services in the agriculture sector.

Read our related insights

Agripreneur start-ups

Manual with operational guidelines for promotion of agri-business enterprises

The Entrepreneurial Farmer

A Manual for Empowering Farmer Producer Organisations, New Delhi 2023

Manual on Intrapreneurship and Management for Farmer Producer Companies

Maharashtra Agricultural Competitiveness Project, Govt. of Maharashtra, Pune 2018. Book released by Hon. Union Minister of Agriculture in the presence of all state minister for Agriculture

Our solutions

Grant Thornton Bharat stands as a prominent service provider in agri-business and agriculture, deploying over 450 professionals across 20 states in India and abroad. Our expertise spans various aspects:

Policy and schemes

Grant Thornton Bharat has played a pivotal role in shaping the INR 10,000 crore horticulture cluster development programme, strategically contributing to its progressive implementation across 53 clusters nationwide. The firm has provided valuable insights for schemes initiated by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), including the ‘Backward and Forward Linkage’ scheme and the substantial INR 6,000 crore ‘Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs’ by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). We have also crafted strategies for the food processing industries in states such as Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir.

Programme design

As a project management agency, the Firm has been instrumental in designing programmes ranging from INR 800 to INR 2,000 crore each in Maharashtra (MAGNET-ADB, SMART-WB), Himachal Pradesh (HPSHIVA-ADB), and Kerala (KERA-WB).

Our solutions include:

  • Diagnosis and need assessment at the state and central level
  • Conducting comprehensive assessments at both state and central levels to diagnose needs and requirements
  • Benchmarking and collating best practices
  • Evaluating and consolidating industry best practices for informed decision-making
  • Preparation of project implementation plan for submission to Department of Economic Affairs (DEA):
  • Formulating detailed project implementation plans for submission to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).
  • Drafting Terms of References (ToRs) for procurement of various services for effective programme implementation
Large agri-business projects

The firm has successfully overseen the execution of substantial horticulture cluster development programme and agricultural value chain development initiatives, with funding exceeding INR 4,000 crore from entities such as the World Bank and Asia Development Bank.

Our solutions:

  • Project management agency/unit services for technical assistance and monitoring programme implementation
  • Project Management Consultancy (PMC) services for the private sector
  • Organising investor meets
Cluster development

In states like Assam, expansive MSME cluster development is in progress under World Bank-supported programmes. The focus is on establishing technical infrastructure, common facilities, and providing a spectrum of business development services. This strategic approach aims to competitively evolve the regional agri-business value chain. Similar programmes are also being developed and implemented in states such as Maharashtra.

Our solutions:

  • Technical assistance for technical/physical infrastructure in clusters for the government and public sector
  • Technical assistance for non-infrastructure interventions in clusters for the government and public sector
  • Related studies and diagnostics
Farmer producer organisations (FPOs)

The firm has collaborated with over 1,500 farmers' producer organisations (FPOs) across 20 states. This collaboration spans World Bank, ADB-supported programmes, the Central Sector Scheme, Central/State SFACs, and prominent foundations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Solutions

  • Technical assistance in formation and promotion of FPOs for central and state governments:
  • Technical assistance for foundations and CSR initiatives
  • Capacity building and training of government and farmer functionaries/beneficiaries
Livelihoods

The firm serves as the technical support agency for the State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) in states such as West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, etc. A demonstration model has been crafted, and the firm is actively involved in developing more than 120 exclusively women Self-Help Group (SHG)-led Farmers' Producer Organizations (FPOs) across six Indian states. The objective is to significantly increase income for over 500,000 marginal and small women farmers, aligning closely with the initiatives of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).

Our solutions include:

  • Technical assistance for formation and promotion of POs (producer organisations) for central and state governments
  • Providing technical assistance for the formation and promotion of Producer Organisations (POs) in collaboration with both central and state governments
  • Technical assistance for foundations and CSR Initiatives
  • Capacity building and training for government functionaries and beneficiaries
Other services

Promoting the diffusion of advanced technologies, the firm specialises in offering DigiTech services within the water management and irrigation sector in India and Nepal. We collaborate extensively with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to develop livelihood strategies targeting marginalised populations such as the poor, women, and youth in Africa.
As the sole Indian registered firm empanelled with UNIDO Vienna, we provide services related to establishing agri-business infrastructure in developing nations, particularly in Africa. Pioneering technology diffusion, the firm introduced state-of-the-art glass greenhouses in India in consultation with the Government of the Netherlands. Moreover, the firm showcases its proficiency in fostering entrepreneurship within agri-business start-ups through various programmes led by the World Bank and foundations.

Our solutions

  • Conducting studies and creating strategy documents for both national and global development partners
  • Disseminating advanced technologies to enhance agricultural practices
  • Providing DigiTech services in the water management and irrigation domain
  • Facilitating statewide agri-business enterprise startup and entrepreneurship development
  • Promoting the spread of climate-smart agricultural practices

Meet our leaders

Prof. V. Padmanand

Chennai

+91 44 42940000

Chirag Jain

Gurugram

+91 124 462 8000

Chetan Bhakkad

Pune

+91 20 67448800

Karan Sood

Gurugram

+91 124 462 8000

Tarun Baijnath

Gurugram

+91 124 462 8000