Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 6 (IANS): A Kerala-based startup, Farmers Fresh Zone (FarmersFZ), has been selected for the ‘Accelerator Programme by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN.

FarmersFZ has figured in the list of 12 agri-food startups around the world for the UN body to develop business.

The Kochi-based multichannel marketplace platform, which functions under the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), is one among India's two startups to qualify for the ‘Accelerator Programme'. Its ultimate aim is to attain the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

KSUM is the nodal agency of the Kerala government for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.

CEO AgriTech D2C P.S. Pradeep will attend the UN function in Rome next month.

He said that the UN programme will enable FarmersFZ to present its model before countries across continents.

"The model would require alterations based on the nature of the markets in each economy. For that we need funds, which will come through the Accelerator," said Pradeep.

FarmersFZ, which bridges the gap between rural farmers and urban consumers by providing healthy, premium-quality and pesticide-free vegetables from fields to the table within 24 hours of harvest, connects more than three lakh consumers and 2,000-plus farmers in Kerala.