Mumbai, October 04, 2023. Indian Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) have taken a significant step by agreeing to establish an HEI-led 'Agri-Consortium,' spearheaded by IIM Kashipur. The participating HEIs adopted an initial framework for this consortium during the 'Agri-Entrepreneurship in South Asia' Consortium-2023, organized by the IIM Kashipur’s incubation center, FIED (Foundation for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The two-day Agri Consortium 2023 served as a platform for academicians, researchers, students, and industry professionals to discuss the latest trends and advancements in agriculture technology, research, funding avenues, and industry requirements. During the consortium, HEIs and universities reached an agreement on three key steps: sharing startup databases among consortium members, disseminating incubation or startup support programs, and networking to share best practices.
Prof. Kulbhushan Balooni, Director of IIM Kashipur, expressed gratitude for the successful conclusion of the 'Agri-Entrepreneurship in South Asia' Consortium 2023. In another development, the RKVY RAFTAAR Scheme, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India through FIED, IIM Kashipur, allocated funding of INR 1.6 crore to 10 startup companies operating in various sectors, including drone technology, agri supply chain, food processing, hydroponics, waste to wealth, and agri biotechnology.
Prof. Kulbhushan Balooni, Director of IIM Kashipur, said, “This Agri Consortium will serve as a platform for sharing information on agri-startups supported by member higher education institutions from different parts of the country. This opens the avenues of collaboration between startups from different geographies, helping each other take their innovative solutions to a large number of farmers."
Prof. Safal Batra, Associate Professor, IIM Kashipur, and Director, FIED, said, “Through this consortium, we are building a knowledge pool for the startup ecosystem so that we can extend our support to various industries in developing significant startups within the agriculture sector. Additionally, we are going to establish a knowledge bank for failed startups in the agricultural industry to provide insights into their failures. These insights will be shared with policymakers and the government to assist in crafting policies for their benefit”.
Ten HEIs, including IGKV-Raipur, CCS Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, IVRI Bareilly, Pusa Krishi, New Delhi, GB Pant University, VCSJ Uttarakhand University of Forestry & Horticulture, Bharsar, Uttarakhand, and CCS NIAM Jaipur, along with IIM Kashipur, have agreed to collaborate within the Agri Consortium.
