· Transforming India’s Food Technology and Agronomic Landscape is the theme of the third edition of three-day conclave which is attracting stakeholders from food tech and agriculture tech sectors besides Union Ministers, industry heads, top bureaucrats and bankers
· CM Basavaraj Bommai to take part in the event organized by Laghu Udyog Bharati-Karnataka and IMS Foundation
Shankar Bennur
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
MYSURU:
Transforming India’s Food Technology and Agronomic Landscape is the theme of the third edition of TechBharat-2022 which is scheduled to be held at the CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru from May 19 to 21.
Organised by the IMS Foundation and Laghu Udyog Bharati-Karnataka chapter in collaboration with CSIR-CFTRI, the TechBharat-2022, a mega conclave on agriculture and food technology and an exhibition is being hosted on the premises of CSIR-CFTRI since the institute is a premier food technology research lab, developing around 400 food technologies in the last 70 years.
The conclave aims to familiarize sustainable technologies in both agriculture and food sectors that are accessible to the stakeholders of these sectors. Further, on how to revamp their strategies and scout for newer and easier means of increasing not only the agriculture yield per hectare or food productivity but also cutting down massive wastage of agriculture produce during pre and post-harvest and processing stage.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will participate in the event along with Union Minister for Food Processing Pashupathi Kumar Paras, Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Kailash Choudhary and Shobha Karandlaje, and State Agriculture Minister B C Patil.
Bhojaraj C, Honorary Secretary, Laghu Udyog Bharati, Karnataka told reporters here on Tuesday that the conclave is also aimed at building start-up ecosystems and delegates from food processing industries, agriculture technology promoters are expected to attend. As a prelude to the summit, events were held in Belagavi in January and Bengaluru in March.
Representatives from banks and NABARD have also been invited since financial assistance plays a major role for technology transfers, he said, adding that TechBharat-2022 gives an ideal platform for boosting exports with stakeholders in the food tech sector attending.
CFTRI Director Sridevi Annapurna Singh said the CFTRI was hosting the event being a premier institute and having developed over 400 technologies, and turning more than 500 individuals into entrepreneurs. CFTRI has a large clientele as it has offered many technologies for free which can be accessed from its website.
CFTRI has been training people in food technology as it has a PG course in food technology besides many short-term courses. It has an incubation center where ideas germinate and result in the creation of start-ups.
From primary processing to value addition, the CFTRI’s technologies have been successfully transferred and some of these technologies would be featured in the TechBharat as CFTRI wants to see many to turn into entrepreneurs.
Ms Chaya Nanjappa, Vice-president, Laghu Udyog Bharati said the CFTRI’s latest technologies would be on display at the event which has also attracted participants from Israel. The retail giants are also attending since they would give feedback on what the consumers expect from the processing industries.
Responding to questions, Mr Bhojaraj said potential entrepreneurs would be putting forth their ideas at a session attended by venture capitalists for funding the start-ups. More than 40 entrepreneurs have registered for the pitching session for start-up exhibitors and incubates.
Arguing that the industries are expected to benefit from the event, the CFTRI director said the institute gets about 100-120 proposals from industries every year for advisory on whether to proceed with the projects. The CFTRI gives technical feedback for a fee.
The TechBharat comprises panel discussions on subjects like Agriculture Development: Outlook and Vision for the next decade; Technologies to quality and safety of food processing, packaging and supply chains; Women entrepreneurs in agri tech, food tech and food pro-tech; Food technology – business opportunities in millet processing; Technologies to food grain science and traces of food fortification and an open session on transfer of technologies to entrepreneurs and progressing farmers.
Union Ministers, including Mr Jitendra Singh, Mr Rajiv Chandrashekar, Ministers from Karnataka, including Mr C N Ashwathnarayan, industry heads, top bureaucrats from the government of India and Government of Karnataka, corporate heads, bankers, top industrialists, experts in food science and technology are among the participants in the three-day event.
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