Omnivore Partners India Fund II

Omnivore II invests in Indian start-ups developing breakthrough technologies for food and agriculture, which primarily benefits the rural economy. The Fund Manager believes the key to transforming rural India lies in increasing the profitability, improving the sustainability, and reducing the uncertainty faced by smallholder farmers.

Although India has made good progress in its transformation to an industry and service-based economy, 42% of the total workforce are still working in the agriculture sector. Smallholder farmers represent 85% of total farm households yet remain at or slightly above the global poverty line. They are faced with multiple challenges, including low yields, water scarcity, soil degradation, and low access to agricultural credit and insurance. Omnivore II’s investment in early-stage companies which propose business solutions for such challenges supports the farmers to realize higher and more sustainable incomes. SIFEM’s investment of USD 7 million helps to reduce the inequalities in the rural sector and promotes sustainable food production, ultimately fostering broad-based and long-term private sector growth in one of the most important sectors of the Indian economy.