H’ble Director Dr. Major Singh inaugurated the Agri-Business Incubation (ABI) centre on Monday, 13-06-2022 in the campus of ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (DOGR), Rajgurunagar. Agri-Business Incubation (ABI) centre at ICAR-Directorate of Onion & Garlic Research (DOGR) was sanctioned in the year 2019 by ICAR Incubation Fund (Component II) under XII Plan scheme of IP&TM unit, ICAR i.e. National Agricultural Innovation Fund (NAIF).
Dr. Singh, who has recently been elected as a member of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) graced the occasion by his presence, he said that the Agri-business Incubation Centre aims to create a conducive environment for the entrepreneurs, farmers to establish new start-ups, farmer producer companies and targets entrepreneurship development. Along with the inaugural ceremony of ABI centre, Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was also signed on Monday (13.06.2022) with four start-ups, including one formation of farmer producer company (FPO) for incubation at ICAR-DOGR, Pune.
Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) were done with the ‘Farmers Smile Farmer Producer Company”, from Khed, Pune aiming development of supply chain for quality onion & onion seeds; “Vagheshwar Farmer Producer Company” which has applied for value addition and processing of onion & garlic crop; “Thinkpure Organic Produced Pvt. Ltd.” from Akola district for establishment of seed processing unit & promotion of quality organic seeds; “Palandu Farmer Producer Company” for formation of Farmer Producer Company (FPO) at Vijayapura, Karnataka to later establish an onion processing industry in his district. Dr. Major Singh, Director ICAR-DOGR, Pune and Dr. Rajiv B. Kale, In-charge, ABI signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) along with the representatives of the companies and welcomed them for incubation at ICAR-DOGR, Pune.
Dr. Rajiv B. Kale, congratulated all the incubatees and assured that through these agreements, the ABI Centre is intended to help prospective entrepreneurs, by providing pro-active and value-added business support in terms of technical consultancy, infrastructure facility, experts’ guidance, promotion and training to develop technology based business ideas and establish sustainable enterprises. The occasion was dignified by the presence of Dr. Ajay Kumar Sharma, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NRC-Grapes, Mr. Shantanu Jagtap, Associate Director, MCCIA-Pune. Scientists & the project staff of ICAR-DOGR, Pune was also present in the occasion.
The programme was ended by the vote of thanks by Dr. Rajiv B. Kale.
