Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA)

Brief

A youth-centric program launched by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to make agriculture a profitable livelihood and reduce rural-to-urban migration

Objectives
- To attract and empower rural youth to engage in agriculture and allied service sector enterprises
- To create remunerative, sustainable, and climate-smart agri-based job opportunities at the village level
- To enhance youth capacity in specific agri-preneurship models
- To establish network groups for resource-intensive activities such as processing, value addition, and marketing
- To curb migration from rural areas to urban cities

Eligibility Criteria
- Rural youth under the age of 35 years
- Residents of rural areas, particularly in districts where KVKs are implementing the project
- Interested in agriculture, allied sectors, or agri-based service activities
- 200-300 rural youth are selected in each chosen district

Benefits
- Skill Training: 21-day vocational training and enterprise-oriented training
- Income Generation: Establishes a regular and sustainable income stream through Micro-Entrepreneurial Units
- Financial & Technical Support: Support in preparing project reports to apply for bank loans and technical guidance for setting up units
- Networking: Linkage with KUBHA SHG and other agencies for marketing
- Mentoring: Continuous mentoring and follow-up by KVKs