What is the Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres (ACABC) Scheme and when did it start?

ACABC is a Government of India scheme launched in April 2002 by the Ministry of Agriculture (now the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare) to leverage the pool of trained agricultural graduates for supplementing public agricultural extension, creating gainful self-employment through agri-enterprises, and providing expert services to farmers on a fee basis. It is implemented nationally by the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, with NABARD as the refinancing agency for the credit-linked back-ended composite subsidy. The scheme originally sat within the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) and continues under Krishonnati Yojana after the 1 October 2024 restructuring.

Who is eligible to apply for ACABC training and subsidy?

Eligibility is defined by educational qualification, not age (there is no age bar under the scheme). Eligible candidates include: (a) graduates in agriculture and allied subjects (agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, forestry, dairy, veterinary science, poultry farming, fisheries, sericulture, food science / food technology, agricultural engineering, biotechnology) from ICAR / UGC-recognised universities and institutions; (b) diploma holders (with at least 55% marks) and post-graduate diploma holders in agriculture and allied subjects from State Agricultural Universities, central agricultural universities, state agriculture / horticulture / fisheries / veterinary departments, ICAR institutes and CBSE-recognised agricultural vocational courses; (c) biological science graduates with post-graduation in agriculture and allied subjects; (d) intermediate (10+2) with an agriculture vocational course; and (e) degree courses in agriculture and allied subjects recognised by DA&FW.

What does the ACABC training cover and how long is it?

ACABC training is a 45-day residential programme (originally two months) conducted through Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) empanelled by MANAGE — currently more than 100 NTIs spread across the country. The curriculum covers agri-business planning, opportunity identification, financial and legal fundamentals, market analysis, technical modules on the trainee's chosen enterprise (soil / input testing, plant protection, tissue culture, seed processing, apiary, mushroom, dairy / poultry / fisheries / piggery, post-harvest and cold storage, farm mechanisation, veterinary services, IT kiosks, agri-journalism, etc.), and hands-on visits to functional agri-ventures. Training, boarding and lodging are free to the candidate and a stipend is paid during the training period.

How much financial support does ACABC provide?

Successful trainees can set up an agri-venture with a bank loan and receive a NABARD-refinanced back-ended composite subsidy against the project cost. The project cost ceiling is ₹20 lakh per individual venture (extendable up to ₹25 lakh for extremely successful individual projects) and ₹100 lakh (₹1 crore) for group ventures. A group venture is defined as a group of five candidates with at least one being a woman, SC / ST or a candidate from a North-Eastern state, subject to a per-member cap of ₹20 lakh. Loans are extended by commercial banks, cooperative banks and Regional Rural Banks, with NABARD providing refinance to the lender.

What subsidy rates apply and who gets the higher 44% subsidy?

The subsidy is a back-ended composite subsidy on the total financial outlay of the project. The general rate is 36% of the total project cost. A higher rate of 44% applies to (a) women candidates, (b) SC / ST candidates, and (c) candidates belonging to the North-Eastern states, hilly states, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The subsidy is released by NABARD to the financing bank on the disbursement of the loan and is credited to a subsidy reserve fund account of the borrower, adjusted at the end of the loan tenure — it does not reach the trainee's hands as a direct cash grant.

What kinds of ventures can be set up under ACABC?

The scheme supports a wide range of agri-enterprises, including: soil and water testing labs, input testing labs (fertilisers, pesticides), plant protection centres, micro-propagation and tissue-culture units, seed processing units, apiaries and honey / bee-keeping units, mushroom production units, extension consultancy and advisory services, farm-machinery custom-hiring centres, post-harvest handling and cold-storage units, dairy / poultry / fisheries / piggery units, retail agri-input sale outlets, animal-health / veterinary services, IT-based agri-information kiosks, agri-journalism, and agri-clinics offering diagnostic and advisory services on a fee basis. The list is illustrative — any bankable agri-business project falling within the ceiling is eligible.

How do I apply for ACABC training?

Interested candidates register on the MANAGE ACABC portal at agriclinics.net (with the MIS at acabcmis.gov.in), select a Nodal Training Institute of their choice from the empanelled list, and submit proof of qualification, identity and address. NTIs conduct rolling batches through the year; once selected, the candidate joins the 45-day residential programme with free boarding, lodging and a stipend. On completion of training, the candidate prepares a bankable business plan with the NTI's handholding support and approaches a scheduled commercial bank, RRB or cooperative bank for a loan. NABARD releases the back-ended composite subsidy to the bank once the loan is sanctioned and disbursed.

Which bank should I approach for the ACABC loan and what is NABARD's role?

ACABC loans are routed through the trainee's choice of scheduled commercial bank, Regional Rural Bank (RRB) or cooperative bank. The bank appraises the business plan on standard credit norms, sanctions and disburses the term loan against the eligible project cost, and claims refinance from NABARD. NABARD is the refinancing agency: it channels the credit-linked back-ended composite subsidy (36% general / 44% for women, SC/ST and NE/hilly candidates) into a subsidy reserve fund at the lending bank, which is adjusted at the end of the loan tenure. NABARD does not lend directly to the trainee — the lender-of-record is the bank.

Is there any post-training handholding under ACABC?

Yes. Every empanelled Nodal Training Institute provides two years of post-training handholding support to trainees. Handholding covers business plan refinement and bank tie-up, help with statutory registrations (Udyam, GST, licenses under state agri-input rules), technology upgrades, and ongoing advisory. NTIs also periodically convene alumni review meets and connect trainees with FPO ecosystems, R-ABIs under the Agripreneur Programme, KVKs and state agriculture departments for market linkages and convergence with other schemes such as PMFME, PMKSY-PDMC and AIF.

How does ACABC differ from PMFME and RKVY-RAFTAAR agri-startup support?

ACABC targets qualified agri graduates and diploma holders and provides free 45-day residential training plus a credit-linked NABARD subsidy of 36% / 44% on projects up to ₹20 lakh (individual) or ₹100 lakh (group of 5). PMFME (Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises) is open to any individual, FPO, SHG or producer cooperative in food processing, provides a 35% credit-linked capital subsidy up to ₹10 lakh and a seed-capital grant of ₹40,000 per SHG member. The RKVY-RAFTAAR Agripreneur Programme (now under PM-RKVY) supports any agri-startup with idea-stage grants up to ₹5 lakh and seed-stage grants up to ₹25 lakh through R-ABIs and Knowledge Partners, and does not mandate an agriculture degree. The three schemes are convergent: an ACABC-trained graduate can layer PMFME on a food-processing arm of the venture and can pursue RKVY-RAFTAAR grants for the same business.

ACABC Guide — Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres Scheme: MANAGE Hyderabad's 45-Day Residential Training, ₹20 Lakh Individual / ₹1 Crore Group Project Ceiling and NABARD Credit-Linked Subsidy for Agri Graduates

The Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres (ACABC) Scheme is a central-sector scheme of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), launched in April 2002to harness the country's pool of trained agricultural graduates for self-employment, agricultural entrepreneurship and last-mile extension. It is implemented nationally by the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, with NABARD as the refinancing agency for the credit-linked back-ended composite subsidy. Every eligible trainee gets a free 45-day residential training at one of 100+ Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs), two years of post-training handholding from the NTI, and access to a NABARD-refinanced subsidy of 36% (general) or 44%(women, SC / ST and candidates from North-Eastern / hilly states and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) on a bankable project of up to ₹20 lakh (individual) or ₹1 crore (group of 5). This guide covers eligibility, the training model, the subsidy structure, eligible enterprises, how to apply through agriclinics.net and how ACABC converges with PMFME, RKVY-RAFTAAR, ATMA, the 10,000 FPO scheme and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. For the wider portfolio see our India government schemes for farmers reference.

At a glance

Scheme type: central-sector scheme of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare — self-employment and agri-entrepreneurship for agri graduates, delivered through MANAGE-empanelled Nodal Training Institutes.
Launched: April 2002 by the Ministry of Agriculture (now Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare), Government of India.
Implementing agency: National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad — the nodal agency for empanelment, curriculum, portal and monitoring.
Refinancing agency: NABARD — channels the credit-linked back-ended composite subsidy to lending banks.
Training: 45-day residential programme (originally two months) at one of 100+ NTIs. Training, boarding and lodging are free, and a stipend is paid to trainees.
Handholding: two years of post-training support from the NTI, covering business-plan refinement, bank tie-up and technology advisory.
Project cost ceiling: ₹20 lakh individual venture (up to ₹25 lakh for extremely successful individual projects); ₹100 lakh (₹1 crore) for a group of 5 with at least one woman / SC / ST / NE candidate, capped at ₹20 lakh per member.
Subsidy: 36% of total project cost for general candidates; 44% for women, SC / ST and candidates from North-Eastern states, hilly states and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Released by NABARD to the lending bank as a back-ended composite subsidy.
Age limit: no age bar.
Portals: agriclinics.net (MANAGE ACABC), acabcmis.gov.in (MIS), manage.gov.in, nabard.org.

Who is eligible

ACABC eligibility is defined by educational qualification. There is no age bar. Eligible candidates are:

Graduates in agriculture and allied subjects — agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, forestry, dairy, veterinary science, poultry farming, fisheries, sericulture, food science / food technology, agricultural engineering, biotechnology — from ICAR / UGC-recognised universities and institutions.
Diploma holders (with ≥55% marks) and post-graduate diploma holders in agriculture and allied subjects from State Agricultural Universities, central agricultural universities, state agriculture / horticulture / fisheries / veterinary departments, ICAR institutes and CBSE-recognised agricultural vocational courses.
Biological science graduates with post-graduation in agriculture and allied subjects.
Intermediate (10+2) holders with an agriculture vocational course.
Degree courses in agriculture and allied subjects recognised by DA&FW.

The 45-day residential training

ACABC training is delivered through Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) empanelled by MANAGE — currently more than 100 NTIs spread across the country, including State Agricultural Universities, agri-focused NGOs, ICAR institutes and private training centres. Key features:

Duration: 45 days, residential (originally structured as a two-month programme when the scheme launched in 2002).
Cost to trainee: nil. Training, boarding and lodging are free, and a stipend is paid during training.
Curriculum: agri-business planning, opportunity identification, market analysis, financial and legal fundamentals, project preparation and appraisal; sector-specific technical modules on the trainee's chosen enterprise; hands-on exposure visits to functional agri-ventures.
Rolling admissions: NTIs conduct multiple batches through the year; candidates choose a preferred NTI from the empanelled list on agriclinics.net.
Post-training handholding: two years of continued support from the NTI on business-plan refinement, bank tie-up, statutory registrations and technology advisory.

Financial support — subsidy, ceiling and NABARD's role

On completion of training, the candidate prepares a bankable business plan with the NTI's handholding and approaches a scheduled commercial bank, Regional Rural Bank (RRB) or cooperative bank for a term loan. The bank sanctions and disburses the loan against the eligible project cost, and NABARD refinances the lender and releases the credit-linked back-ended composite subsidy against the disbursed loan.

Individual project cost ceiling: ₹20 lakh (up to ₹25 lakh for extremely successful individual projects, at the sanctioning bank's / NABARD's discretion).
Group project cost ceiling: ₹100 lakh (₹1 crore) for a group of 5, with at least one member being a woman, SC / ST or a candidate from a North-Eastern state; the per-member cap remains ₹20 lakh.
Subsidy rate (general): 36% of the total project cost.
Subsidy rate (concessional): 44% of the total project cost for women candidates, SC / ST candidates, and candidates from the North-Eastern states, hilly states and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Mechanism: the subsidy is a back-ended composite subsidy. NABARD releases it to the lending bank; the bank parks it in a subsidy reserve fund account of the borrower and adjusts it against the loan at the end of the tenure — it does not reach the trainee as a direct cash grant.
Lender-of-record: the commercial bank, RRB or cooperative bank sanctioning the loan; NABARD does not lend directly to the trainee.

Eligible enterprises

The scheme supports a wide, indicative list of agri-enterprises. Any bankable project falling within the ceiling and having a clear agriculture / allied linkage is eligible:

Diagnostic and advisory: soil and water testing labs, input testing labs (fertilisers, pesticides), plant protection centres, agri-clinics offering diagnostic and advisory services to farmers on a fee basis.
Planting-material and inputs: micro-propagation and tissue-culture units, seed processing units, retail agri-input sale outlets.
Allied-sector production: apiaries and honey / bee-keeping units, mushroom production units, dairy / poultry / fisheries / piggery units, animal-health / veterinary services.
Value chain and mechanisation: post-harvest handling and cold-storage units, farm-machinery custom-hiring centres.
Knowledge and IT services: extension consultancy services, IT-based agri-information kiosks, agri-journalism.

How to apply — step by step

Register on the MANAGE ACABC portal at agriclinics.net (with the MIS on acabcmis.gov.in). Upload proof of qualification, identity and address.
Choose a Nodal Training Institute from the empanelled list on the portal. The NTI runs the 45-day residential batch, with free training, boarding, lodging and a stipend.
Complete the 45-day training, including hands-on exposure visits and a business-plan module tuned to the trainee's chosen enterprise.
Prepare a bankable project with the NTI's handholding support. Register the enterprise (Udyam, GST, state agri-input / veterinary / food-safety licences as applicable).
Approach a bank — scheduled commercial bank, RRB or cooperative bank — for a term loan against the project cost.
NABARD refinance and subsidy release: on disbursement of the loan, NABARD releases the 36% / 44% back-ended composite subsidy to the lending bank, which parks it in the borrower's subsidy reserve fund account.
Two-year handholding: the NTI continues to advise on technology, market linkages, statutory compliance and convergence with other schemes.

Convergence with other schemes

ACABC does not stand alone — it is designed to slot into the wider agri-entrepreneurship and farmer-welfare stack:

PMFME (Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises): ACABC graduates setting up a food-processing arm (mushroom drying, honey bottling, pulse milling, tomato paste, dairy value-add) can layer PMFME's 35% credit-linked capital subsidy up to ₹10 lakh on top of the ACABC subsidy — for the same underlying loan, subject to non-duplication of the same cost head.
ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency): the district-level extension body engages ACABC graduates as private extension service providers — Farmer Field Schools, frontline demonstrations and Kisan Mela sessions can be run by ACABC-trained agri-clinics on assignment from the ATMA Management Committee.
10,000 FPO scheme: a group of five ACABC candidates going for a ₹1 crore group project can incorporate the venture as an FPO / producer company and pair it with the DA&FW / NABARD / SFAC 10,000 FPO formation and promotion support.
RKVY-RAFTAAR / PM-RKVY: ACABC graduates with a scalable business model can additionally pursue the RKVY-RAFTAAR Agripreneur Programme — idea-stage grants up to ₹5 lakh and seed-stage grants up to ₹25 lakh through R-ABIs and Knowledge Partners.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): for infrastructure-heavy ventures (cold storage, custom hiring centres, primary processing), AIF provides ₹1 lakh–₹2 crore loans with a 3% interest subvention and credit-guarantee cover, stackable with the ACABC subsidy on the same project.
PM-KISAN and Kisan Credit Card: where the ACABC graduate is also a landholding farmer, these remain available independently.
ARYA — Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture: ICAR's KVK-anchored rural-youth cohort programme (18-35 age bracket) covering dairy, fisheries, apiary, sericulture, mushroom, poultry, floriculture, protected cultivation and post-harvest value chains — an ARYA-trained youth who is also a graduate or diploma holder in an agri / allied subject can layer ACABC training and the NABARD subsidy on top of the KVK cohort.

References

agriclinics.net — MANAGE ACABC portal: NTI directory, batch schedule and online application.
acabcmis.gov.in — ACABC Management Information System.
manage.gov.in — National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad – 500030 — the implementing agency for ACABC.
nabard.org — National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development — refinancing agency and channel for the ACABC back-ended composite subsidy.
agriwelfare.gov.in — Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the administrative department for ACABC under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) / Krishonnati Yojana.
Press Information Bureau (PIB) — ACABC launch and periodic review press releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres (ACABC) Scheme and when did it start?: ACABC is a Government of India scheme launched in April 2002 by the Ministry of Agriculture (now the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare) to leverage the pool of trained agricultural graduates for supplementing public agricultural extension, creating gainful self-employment through agri-enterprises, and providing expert services to farmers on a fee basis. It is implemented nationally by the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, with NABARD as the refinancing agency for the credit-linked back-ended composite subsidy. The scheme originally sat within the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) and continues under Krishonnati Yojana after the 1 October 2024 restructuring.
Who is eligible to apply for ACABC training and subsidy?: Eligibility is defined by educational qualification, not age (there is no age bar under the scheme). Eligible candidates include: (a) graduates in agriculture and allied subjects (agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, forestry, dairy, veterinary science, poultry farming, fisheries, sericulture, food science / food technology, agricultural engineering, biotechnology) from ICAR / UGC-recognised universities and institutions; (b) diploma holders (with at least 55% marks) and post-graduate diploma holders in agriculture and allied subjects from State Agricultural Universities, central agricultural universities, state agriculture / horticulture / fisheries / veterinary departments, ICAR institutes and CBSE-recognised agricultural vocational courses; (c) biological science graduates with post-graduation in agriculture and allied subjects; (d) intermediate (10+2) with an agriculture vocational course; and (e) degree courses in agriculture and allied subjects recognised by DA&FW.
What does the ACABC training cover and how long is it?: ACABC training is a 45-day residential programme (originally two months) conducted through Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) empanelled by MANAGE — currently more than 100 NTIs spread across the country. The curriculum covers agri-business planning, opportunity identification, financial and legal fundamentals, market analysis, technical modules on the trainee's chosen enterprise (soil / input testing, plant protection, tissue culture, seed processing, apiary, mushroom, dairy / poultry / fisheries / piggery, post-harvest and cold storage, farm mechanisation, veterinary services, IT kiosks, agri-journalism, etc.), and hands-on visits to functional agri-ventures. Training, boarding and lodging are free to the candidate and a stipend is paid during the training period.
How much financial support does ACABC provide?: Successful trainees can set up an agri-venture with a bank loan and receive a NABARD-refinanced back-ended composite subsidy against the project cost. The project cost ceiling is ₹20 lakh per individual venture (extendable up to ₹25 lakh for extremely successful individual projects) and ₹100 lakh (₹1 crore) for group ventures. A group venture is defined as a group of five candidates with at least one being a woman, SC / ST or a candidate from a North-Eastern state, subject to a per-member cap of ₹20 lakh. Loans are extended by commercial banks, cooperative banks and Regional Rural Banks, with NABARD providing refinance to the lender.
What subsidy rates apply and who gets the higher 44% subsidy?: The subsidy is a back-ended composite subsidy on the total financial outlay of the project. The general rate is 36% of the total project cost. A higher rate of 44% applies to (a) women candidates, (b) SC / ST candidates, and (c) candidates belonging to the North-Eastern states, hilly states, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The subsidy is released by NABARD to the financing bank on the disbursement of the loan and is credited to a subsidy reserve fund account of the borrower, adjusted at the end of the loan tenure — it does not reach the trainee's hands as a direct cash grant.
What kinds of ventures can be set up under ACABC?: The scheme supports a wide range of agri-enterprises, including: soil and water testing labs, input testing labs (fertilisers, pesticides), plant protection centres, micro-propagation and tissue-culture units, seed processing units, apiaries and honey / bee-keeping units, mushroom production units, extension consultancy and advisory services, farm-machinery custom-hiring centres, post-harvest handling and cold-storage units, dairy / poultry / fisheries / piggery units, retail agri-input sale outlets, animal-health / veterinary services, IT-based agri-information kiosks, agri-journalism, and agri-clinics offering diagnostic and advisory services on a fee basis. The list is illustrative — any bankable agri-business project falling within the ceiling is eligible.
How do I apply for ACABC training?: Interested candidates register on the MANAGE ACABC portal at agriclinics.net (with the MIS at acabcmis.gov.in), select a Nodal Training Institute of their choice from the empanelled list, and submit proof of qualification, identity and address. NTIs conduct rolling batches through the year; once selected, the candidate joins the 45-day residential programme with free boarding, lodging and a stipend. On completion of training, the candidate prepares a bankable business plan with the NTI's handholding support and approaches a scheduled commercial bank, RRB or cooperative bank for a loan. NABARD releases the back-ended composite subsidy to the bank once the loan is sanctioned and disbursed.
Which bank should I approach for the ACABC loan and what is NABARD's role?: ACABC loans are routed through the trainee's choice of scheduled commercial bank, Regional Rural Bank (RRB) or cooperative bank. The bank appraises the business plan on standard credit norms, sanctions and disburses the term loan against the eligible project cost, and claims refinance from NABARD. NABARD is the refinancing agency: it channels the credit-linked back-ended composite subsidy (36% general / 44% for women, SC/ST and NE/hilly candidates) into a subsidy reserve fund at the lending bank, which is adjusted at the end of the loan tenure. NABARD does not lend directly to the trainee — the lender-of-record is the bank.
Is there any post-training handholding under ACABC?: Yes. Every empanelled Nodal Training Institute provides two years of post-training handholding support to trainees. Handholding covers business plan refinement and bank tie-up, help with statutory registrations (Udyam, GST, licenses under state agri-input rules), technology upgrades, and ongoing advisory. NTIs also periodically convene alumni review meets and connect trainees with FPO ecosystems, R-ABIs under the Agripreneur Programme, KVKs and state agriculture departments for market linkages and convergence with other schemes such as PMFME, PMKSY-PDMC and AIF.
How does ACABC differ from PMFME and RKVY-RAFTAAR agri-startup support?: ACABC targets qualified agri graduates and diploma holders and provides free 45-day residential training plus a credit-linked NABARD subsidy of 36% / 44% on projects up to ₹20 lakh (individual) or ₹100 lakh (group of 5). PMFME (Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises) is open to any individual, FPO, SHG or producer cooperative in food processing, provides a 35% credit-linked capital subsidy up to ₹10 lakh and a seed-capital grant of ₹40,000 per SHG member. The RKVY-RAFTAAR Agripreneur Programme (now under PM-RKVY) supports any agri-startup with idea-stage grants up to ₹5 lakh and seed-stage grants up to ₹25 lakh through R-ABIs and Knowledge Partners, and does not mandate an agriculture degree. The three schemes are convergent: an ACABC-trained graduate can layer PMFME on a food-processing arm of the venture and can pursue RKVY-RAFTAAR grants for the same business.

Training duration, project ceilings, subsidy rates and eligible enterprises above summarise the publicly available ACABC scheme documents on agriclinics.net, manage.gov.in, nabard.org and agriwelfare.gov.in. Operational terms are revised periodically through DA&FW / MANAGE / NABARD circulars; candidates and Nodal Training Institutes should verify current terms before enrolling or applying for the credit-linked subsidy.