Nurturing agripreneurship in India through open and distance learning: A comprehensive study

Agriculture remains a primary source of income and livelihood especially in developing nations amid the rapidly changing global economy. However, traditional educational systems often fail to prepare aspiring agricultural entrepreneurs due to limitations such as geographical barriers, rigid curricula and insufficient access to resources. Open and Distance Learning (ODL) emerges as a transformative solution, offering flexible, accessible, scalable education tailored to diverse learner needs and modern agribusiness demands. This study examined a comprehensive review of 192 publications using academic databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus and Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC). India is the leader in ODL research, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Australia and China are other countries contributing to ODL research studies. The analysis identified key benefits, including bridging the education access gap in rural areas, fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem and promoting lifelong learning. The scalability of ODL facilitates widespread reach, impacting a larger audience than traditional education methods and enhancing individual livelihoods. Furthermore, it fosters community engagement and collaboration, strengthening the resilience of the agricultural sector. This review highlights the significant role of ODL in nurturing a new generation of skilled agripreneurs, contributing to sustainable agricultural development, economic growth and global food security. Future research should explore the potential of ODL courses in metropolitan cities and green entrepreneurship.