To promote the participation of youth in agribusiness, the Agribusiness and Innovation Platform (AIP) of ICRISAT participated in a one-day, state-level seminar on ‘Sustainable Agriculture and Food Processing’ organized by the Ratnapuri Institute of Technology – College of Polytechnic, Medak district, Andhra Pradesh on 6 January.

The seminar was conducted as part of ICRISAT’s partnership program with Vennela Educational Society, (VES), in which AIP is facilitating technical support in the production and cultivation of vegetables; and hybrid seed production of pigeonpea and other crops.

Speaking at the event as Chief Guest, Mr S Aravazhi, Chief Operating Officer of the Innovation and Partnership program explained how ICRISAT’s Inclusive Market-Oriented Development (IMOD) strategy is supporting young entrepreneurs in the areas of food processing and sustainable agriculture. “Food processing is one of the most important links in the agricultural value chain that enables value addition and reduction of post-harvest losses of agricultural produce. Enabling farmers to become part of this link by engaging them as entrepreneurs and through small- and medium-term enterprises (SMEs) can help in the development of a vibrant agrarian and rural economy,” Mr Aravazhi said.

Discussions at the event focused on the need to tap existing and emerging agribusiness opportunities and on linking youth to technology and funding avenues, enabling them to promote farming as a business, and learning how to use this partnership for trading, agribusiness information and agribusiness link platform.

More than 210 students from Vennela Education Society, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University and other colleges attended the seminar.