MADANAPALLE: In a major attempt to transform the drought-prone Rayalaseema into an international agrarian hub, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and Reliance Industries Executive Director Anant Ambani jointly laid the foundation stone for the Rs 1 lakh-crore Global Horticulture Hub, and the premier Indian School of Agriculture (ISA) at BK Palli village in Madanapalle mandal on Friday.
The mega Rayalaseema Rising initiative, implemented across three structured phases, targets a complete overhaul of the regional agricultural economy.
The funding model relies on a public-private partnership framework, combining Rs 40,352 crore from Central and State government allocations with Rs 60,000 crore targeted from private sector equity to boost horticulture in a big way.
Spanning 10 districts—eight core Rayalaseema districts alongside Prakasam and Markapuram—the project organises 5,869 villages across 303 mandals into 201 specialised horticultural clusters.
AP plans 6 lakh hectare horticulture expansion
The State plans to expand its total horticultural footprint by six lakh hectares—from the current 8.41 lakh hectares to 14.41 lakh hectares—while aiming to nearly double output from 222 lakh metric tonnes to 435 lakh metric tonnes.
The primary capital allocation commits Rs 20,284 crore toward micro-irrigation and water management systems, Rs 15,000 crore to direct crop expansion, and Rs 4,662 crore toward rural connectivity, pack-houses, cold chains, and export logistics. Over 9.6 lakh farming families, representing 49 lakh people, are set to benefit directly from the project.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said permanent water security remains the bedrock of Rayalaseema’s growth. Highlighting that 1,600 TMC of Godavari floodwater drained unutilised into the sea this year, Naidu pointed out that the Pattiseema project had successfully diverted 500 TMC to the Krishna Delta over the past decade, enabling water conservation and transfer to Rayalaseema.
He announced that 36 priority irrigation projects worth Rs 35,000 crore will be dedicated to the nation over the next three years, while the flagship Polavaram project will be completed next year, and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. To resolve interstate water sharing, he confirmed submitting a formal proposal to the Union Finance Minister for the interlinking of the Godavari and Cauvery rivers.
The event marked a major milestone with the formal establishment of the Indian School of Agriculture (ISA) in Madanapalle, set up with institutional support from Reliance Industries. Envisioned as a premier centre of excellence, the ISA is modelled to bring an ISB-like transformation to the agrarian sector by integrating AI, precision farming and advanced scientific research.
