The farmers showed us the problem and the soil taught us the solution. We simply chose to believe that a small beginning could grow into something bigger. We started with one lakh rupees, but our vision was always much bigger than one lakh.
Prisila Giri and Sanjina Giri, co-founders, AG Ventures
The story of AG Ventures began in the fields of Birendranagar, Surkhet, with conversations between farmers and two young sisters who were willing to listen.
Farmers from Sital Krishi Tatha Pashu Palan Samuha spoke about their increasing dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, concerns over declining soil health, and the effects of prolonged chemical use on their health and farming environment. For sisters Prisila Giri, 19, an agriculture student, and Sanjina Giri, 21, a BBA graduate preparing for an MBA, these concerns were personal. Coming from a farming family, they had grown up around agriculture and understood both its challenges and its potential. Their different academic backgrounds brought two perspectives to the same question: Could they develop sustainable agricultural solutions that farmers could practically adopt while building a viable business?
They began with their own farm as a laboratory, experimenting with vermicompost, vermiwash, vermiculture, jholmol and soil-health management practices. Rather than asking farmers to adopt unfamiliar products based on promises, they demonstrated the results in their own fields. The farm became a demonstration site where farmers could observe crops, learn how inputs were prepared and applied, and assess the results themselves.
Our goal is to build an integrated agricultural enterprise where production, sustainability, education, employment and business development support one another.
Prisila Giri and Sanjina Giri
With only around NPR 1 lakh in initial capital, the sisters had limited resources and business experience. A major challenge was building farmers’ confidence in alternatives to familiar chemical inputs. Their approach was simple: listen to farmers, experiment, demonstrate and improve.
In 2022, their work gained wider recognition when they participated in the Private Sector Innovation Challenge, supported by USAID’s Tayar Nepal initiative. Their approach was selected among the winning enterprises, earning NPR 1 lakh in support and providing valuable exposure to entrepreneurship and business development.
On 5 December 2022, World Soil Day, they officially registered AG Ventures, reflecting the principle at the heart of their work: healthy soil is fundamental to sustainable agriculture and resilient livelihoods.
The enterprise continued to grow. AG Ventures established an Agriculture School to promote climate-smart practices and expanded beyond biofertilizers into vegetable production, floriculture, nurseries, ornamental plants, livestock-related activities and organic inputs.
In 2023, AG Ventures was selected among the top six winners of the Climate Smart Entrepreneurship Innovation Grant, receiving NPR 1,25,000 for business investment. Later, seed financing through the UGC Entrepreneurship Support Program, under the World Bank-financed Nurturing Excellence in Higher Education Program, supported further expansion, including floriculture.
We want young people to see agriculture not as an outdated profession, but as a field of science, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Prisila Giri and Sanjina Giri
Today, AG Ventures employs four regular staff and provides seasonal work for up to 10 additional part-time workers. It also creates opportunities for young people and students to gain practical experience in sustainable agriculture.
From farmer conversations in Surkhet to a growing climate-smart enterprise, the sisters are building a model that connects agriculture, entrepreneurship, employment and environmental sustainability. Their future vision includes floriculture, dairy and value-added milk products, sustainable agriculture, agro-tourism and hospitality, with the goal of developing an integrated agricultural enterprise rooted in the realities of rural Nepal.
What this story shows
- Listen to the problem before building the solution.
- Demonstration can turn an idea into trust.
- Young people can build agriculture into a future-oriented business.
- Small beginnings can create big possibilities.
What would make a difference
Agriculture seen as science, technology and innovation.
