Aadhyanta invests Rs. 20Mln in KHETI, small farmers to be empowered

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Jan 10: Aadhyanta, a prominent private equity and venture capital firm, has announced Rs. 20 million investment into DV Excellus, an agri-fintech company.

This funding will support the company's flagship platform, KHETI, which is transforming Nepal's agricultural landscape by offering collateral-free loans up to Rs. 200,000 for smallholder farmers.

The KHETI app provides a comprehensive suite of agricultural services and financial products, empowering farmers to access quality inputs and transition towards more commercially viable farming practices.

This move is a key milestone for the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA) programme, which is supported by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and implemented in Nepal by Swisscontact.

The CASA programme has been instrumental in attracting PEVC investments into Nepal’s agricultural sector, helping bridge the gap between high-impact agribusinesses and private sector investment.

"This investment demonstrates the power of collaboration in driving systemic change," said Manish Bikram Shah, CASA Country Manager.

"By connecting PEVC firms with agribusinesses like DV Excellus, we are not only boosting investment in agriculture but also ensuring long-term benefits for smallholder farmers."

Adding more, the Head of Inclusive Growth South and Southeast Asia for Swisscontact, Siddarth Khada, said “Swisscontact has always been in the forefront in mobilizing Private sector for development impact. And this investment into Kheti exemplifies this”.

Agriculture accounts for nearly 30 per cent of Nepal's GDP, yet smallholder farmers often face significant barriers in accessing financing and quality inputs.

Manoj Poudel, Managing Director of Aadhyanta, emphasized that supporting agri-tech innovations like KHETI is vital to overcoming these challenges and unlocking the sector's growth potential.

Since its launch, DV Excellus has disbursed over Rs. 15 crore in loans to more than 1,000 farmers and currently serves over 15,000 active farmers.

The new funding is expected to accelerate the company’s efforts to provide smallholder farmers with the tools, seeds, and fertilizers necessary to shift from subsistence farming to more sustainable, profitable commercial operations.

“This partnership is a game-changer,” said Tulsi Giri, Co-founder of DV Excellus. “The funding will help us scale our operations and empower thousands of farmers to improve their productivity and resilience, driving economic growth for Nepal’s agricultural sector.”

Through this collaboration, Aadhyanta, DV Excellus, and CASA are setting the stage for a more robust and inclusive agricultural ecosystem in Nepal, offering new hope and financial opportunities for smallholder farmers aiming for a prosperous future.