Rural entrepreneurship grows in India through traditional skills and digital tools

Rural entrepreneurship in India is expanding through the integration of traditional skills, local resources, and digital technology. Initiatives led by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises are supporting artisans and farmers via programs such as the Khadi Vikas Yojana and the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). These efforts aim to convert local raw materials into finished products, creating a broader business ecosystem that includes processing, packaging, and retail.

In the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, digital tools are further driving economic mobility. Through the Tech Shakti Shri program—a collaboration between Cisco and Jagriti—rural women are gaining entrepreneurial training and access to technology. For example, in Deoria, entrepreneurs are utilizing agricultural drones for crop spraying, applying fertilizers and pesticides to improve farming efficiency. These combined efforts in traditional industry support and digital empowerment are creating new livelihood opportunities in rural communities.