Building bridges through innovation: Reflections on New Zealand agritech experience

Amrita: "The visit proved to be one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career."

When I first learned about the opportunity to participate in the Foundation's New Zealand India Entrepreneurship Initiative (NZIEI) 2026, I immediately recognised it as much more than a regular business delegation.

Working at the intersection of biotechnology, digital health, and agritech innovation, I was eager to understand how one of the world's leading agricultural economies transforms scientific research into commercially successful, globally competitive solutions.

More importantly, I wanted to explore how New Zealand and India — two countries with very different agricultural landscapes but shared sustainability goals — could collaborate to address challenges such as food security, climate resilience, traceability, and resource efficiency.

The visit proved to be one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career.

From the very beginning, I was struck by New Zealand's innovation ecosystem. What impressed me most was not any single technology, but the seamless collaboration between research institutions, government agencies, startups, industry, and farmers.

Innovation was not confined to laboratories; it was embedded throughout the agricultural value chain, ensuring that scientific discoveries translated into practical solutions that benefited producers, businesses, and consumers alike.

The group visited Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI) — New Zealand’s largest research organisation focused on advancing innovation in agriculture

Among the highlights was visiting the Bioeconomy Science Institute, where I witnessed firsthand how world-class research is translated into commercially viable technologies. Equally inspiring were visits to Seeka, Blue Lab, Quality Mushrooms, and Comvita, each demonstrating how precision agriculture, digital technologies, quality assurance, sustainability, and traceability are integrated into everyday operations rather than treated as independent initiatives.

Another particularly memorable experience was meeting some of New Zealand's farm sector leaders and learning firsthand how world-class dairy enterprises operate. Their insights into managing large-scale farming operations while maintaining exceptional standards of animal health, quality, sustainability, and operational excellence were invaluable.

Across every discussion, one theme consistently emerged: long-term success is built on robust systems, disciplined execution, rigorous quality management, end-to-end traceability, and a relentless commitment to continuous improvement. These principles closely resonate with our work at Arogyam, where we are developing AI-enabled diagnostics, digital traceability platforms, and data-driven technologies to build more resilient, transparent, and sustainable agricultural and food systems.

At Quality Mushrooms, the visiting entrepreneurs got to see behind the scenes where the mushrooms are grown in a nutrient-rich substrate

Attending Fieldays, the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural exhibition, was another defining moment of the programme. Witnessing the inauguration of the first-ever India Pavilion following the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement symbolised the growing strategic partnership between our two countries. Conversations with researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry leaders reinforced the tremendous potential for long-term collaboration in agricultural innovation.

Coming from India, where we are developing AI-powered diagnostic and traceability platforms for agriculture, I was particularly interested in understanding how artificial intelligence is being adopted across New Zealand's agribusiness sector.

New Zealand has successfully integrated AI into precision agriculture, livestock management, horticulture, quality assessment, and supply chain optimisation. Strong research capabilities, larger farm sizes, robust digital infrastructure, and close collaboration between academia and industry have created an environment where advanced technologies can be rapidly adopted and refined.

India presents a very different; but equally exciting innovation landscape. With millions of smallholder farmers operating across diverse agro-climatic zones, AI solutions must be affordable, scalable, and easy to deploy. As a result, Indian innovation has focused on democratising advanced technologies by developing portable, low-cost, field-deployable solutions that can deliver sophisticated insights without requiring extensive technical expertise or infrastructure.

Throughout the week, the entrepreneurs met with farmers and industry professionals to gain first-hand insights into New Zealand's agriculture sector

Rather than representing competing models, these differences create a powerful complementarity. New Zealand excels in scientific research, precision farming, and quality systems, while India has demonstrated remarkable capabilities in affordable engineering, digital technologies, scalable manufacturing, and rapid deployment. Together, these complementary strengths have the potential to generate globally relevant agricultural innovations.

There are numerous opportunities for collaboration. Joint research programmes could accelerate the development of AI-enabled diagnostics, precision farming technologies, food safety solutions, climate-resilient agriculture, and digital traceability systems. New Zealand's expertise in horticulture, dairy, biosecurity, and quality assurance naturally complements India's strengths in biotechnology, software engineering, digital public infrastructure, and cost-effective manufacturing.

India's rapidly evolving digital ecosystem also offers valuable opportunities for partnership. Digital identity platforms, electronic records, mobile payments, and remote service delivery have created an environment where innovative technologies can reach millions of farmers efficiently.

Combining New Zealand's scientific excellence with India's digital innovation and implementation capabilities could produce scalable solutions that benefit not only our two countries but also agricultural communities across the developing world.

The visit also highlighted important structural differences between the agricultural sectors of the two nations.

New Zealand's agriculture is highly export-oriented, technologically advanced, and characterised by relatively large, mechanised farms with a strong focus on premium quality, sustainability, and international market access.

In contrast, India's agricultural landscape is extraordinarily diverse, comprising millions of smallholder farmers growing a wide variety of crops under varying climatic and socioeconomic conditions. Consequently, Indian innovation often prioritises accessibility, affordability, and inclusiveness while simultaneously improving productivity and sustainability.

At Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI) the group got to see how agritech research is translated into commercially viable technologies

Yet despite these differences, both countries are working toward remarkably similar goals: improving farmer livelihoods, strengthening food safety, enhancing climate resilience, optimising resource use, and building more sustainable food systems.

One of the most enriching aspects of the programme was travelling alongside an exceptional group of Indian agribusiness entrepreneurs. Each participant brought expertise spanning biotechnology, food processing, digital agriculture, sustainability, agri-inputs, and advanced manufacturing. The diversity of perspectives transformed every discussion into a valuable learning opportunity.

Some of the most meaningful conversations took place outside the formal programme; during long drives, site visits, and shared meals. We exchanged ideas, challenged assumptions, debated business models, discussed emerging technologies, and explored opportunities for future collaboration. Those informal interactions became just as valuable as the official meetings, reinforcing the belief that innovation flourishes when diverse perspectives come together around common challenges.

Looking back, the NZIEI programme was far more than an international exposure visit. It offered valuable insights into how thriving innovation ecosystems are built, how scientific excellence translates into commercial impact, and how meaningful international partnerships can accelerate sustainable development.

As agriculture faces increasingly complex global challenges; from climate change and food safety to supply chain transparency and resource efficiency; no single country has all the answers.

New Zealand and India each bring unique strengths to the table.

By combining New Zealand's leadership in agricultural science, precision farming, and quality systems with India's expertise in affordable innovation, digital technologies, and large-scale implementation, we have an opportunity to develop solutions that create lasting impact well beyond our own borders.

For me, this journey reaffirmed a simple but powerful lesson: meaningful innovation is not only about developing better technologies; it is about building stronger partnerships, learning from one another, and working together to create a more sustainable future for agriculture.

The Foundation's Entrepreneurship Programme supports emerging New Zealand entrepreneurs to build connections and facilitate business relationships in Asia, and supports Asian entrepreneurs to build connections in New Zealand.