Jalgaon: FALI-12 Convention At Jain Hills To Showcase Agri-Innovation Projects By 1,500 Students

Jalgaon: The 12th annual convention of Future Agriculture Leaders of India (FALI) will be held at Jain Hills from June 1 to June 8, bringing together around 1,500 students, agriculture educators, industry leaders and alumni from across the country. During the convention, FALI also announced the appointment of Shabornee Poddar as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Organised in partnership with Jain Irrigation, the convention will be conducted in three phases and will feature the participation of nearly 1,500 students, 90 agriculture teachers, 18 alumni and more than 70 senior executives representing 10 partner organisations. The students participating in the event are winners of various agri-technology innovation and business model competitions conducted in 210 schools under the FALI-12 programme.

FALI is a unique initiative aimed at developing modern farming, agri-entrepreneurship and leadership skills among rural students studying in Classes 8 and 9. The programme combines classroom learning with field visits, interactions with industry experts and practical exposure to agribusiness operations, helping students understand the changing landscape of agriculture.

The organisation has received support from leading agricultural and financial institutions, including Jain Irrigation, Godrej Agrovet, UPL, ITC, StarAgri, Prompt Dairytech, SBI Foundation, Tata Rallis and Omnivore. FALI now plans to expand its presence across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and three additional states, targeting annual growth of 25 percent. The organisation also intends to strengthen internship opportunities, mentorship programmes and seed capital support for alumni while expanding its ‘FALI e+’ initiative to encourage agri-entrepreneurship among urban youth.

A major highlight of this year’s convention is the appointment of Shabornee Poddar as the organisation’s new CEO. She succeeds Harsh Nautiyal, who has led FALI since its inception in 2014 and will step down on June 1 to pursue new opportunities in the agri-entrepreneurship sector.

Under Nautiyal’s leadership, FALI evolved into a significant platform for rural students across Maharashtra and other states. He also played a key role in building partnerships with some of India’s leading agriculture companies and institutions.

Poddar brings more than a decade of experience in agriculture, rural development and social impact initiatives. Before joining FALI, she headed Marketing and Technical Services at Omnivore, one of India’s leading agri-tech impact investment funds. She has also worked with MicroSave Consulting on projects related to food systems, education, rural finance and development. She holds an MBA from the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and postgraduate qualifications in Journalism.

Welcoming the appointment, Anil Jain, President of the FALI Association and Vice Chairman and CEO of Jain Irrigation, expressed confidence that the organisation would achieve greater growth under Poddar’s leadership. He said climate-smart agriculture, technological innovation and efficient agricultural value chains will shape the future of Indian farming.

Prominent industry leaders also highlighted FALI’s growing impact. Nadir Godrej said the organisation has immense potential to expand its alumni network and strengthen its long-term influence. Rajju Shroff noted that FALI is helping develop technical, professional and leadership skills among young people, enabling them to address challenges such as improving farm productivity and tackling climate change. Nancy Barry, Vice President of FALI and President of NBA Enterprise Solutions to Poverty, expressed confidence that Poddar’s leadership would help the organisation connect its mission of agriculture and entrepreneurship with an even larger generation of young learners.

The FALI-12 convention is expected to serve as a major platform for showcasing innovative agricultural ideas while nurturing the next generation of rural leaders and agri-entrepreneurs.