Deshpande Foundation

The Deshpande Foundation's Agriculture Initiatives aim to improve the livelihoods of farmers in rural and semi-urban India. It collaborates with national and international organisations to address the primary needs of the farming community. These initiatives include building farm ponds, promoting the Better Cotton Initiative, and supporting Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). The goal is to positively impact the lives of one million farmers by 2026, contributing to rural transformation and sustainability. The Farm Ponds programme focuses on water-harvesting structures, while the Better Cotton Initiative promotes environmental and economic improvements. Farmer Producer Organizations offer support in compliance, governance, capacity-building, and business development, ultimately reducing input costs and expanding market access for farmers.

The Deshpande Foundation's Skilling initiative aims to equip youth from non-metro towns and villages in India with job-oriented skills to tap into the country's growing economy. This programme impacts students from elementary to middle school and graduates from these areas. Through skill development programmes, innovative technology in classrooms, and an integrated learning system, it strives to economically and scalably transform rural areas. Programs like SkillPlus, SkillPlus-R, Skill in Village (SiV), and EarlySpark focus on turning unemployed rural youth into skilled professionals, improving school enrolments, and enhancing teaching methods in primary schools, ultimately making a positive impact in rural and semi-urban India.

The Deshpande Foundation's Micro-Entrepreneurship Development Programme (MEDP) empowers local micro-entrepreneurs by offering training, mentorship, monitoring, and best practices implementation. With a decade of experience, MEDP is committed to rural transformation in North Karnataka & Telangana. The initiative has made a significant impact, contributing to the financial ecosystem of rural and semi-urban communities. It operates through two key arms: I-MEDP focuses on individual entrepreneurs, providing networking support, exhibitions, and business planning, while C-MEDP creates clusters for artisans and producers, facilitating shared markets and services. These clusters in food, leather, and Aari embroidery aim to empower local communities and foster self-reliance.

Deshpande Startups offers a supportive ecosystem of resources, connections, knowledge, and talent for entrepreneurs with a mission to create a significant impact in semi-urban and rural communities across India. Entrepreneurs view it as a dynamic platform to test, validate, and scale their business ideas, aiming to bring about positive change in the lives of billions.