ICAR Signs Memorandum of Understanding with MoFPI to Support Micro Level Food Entrepreneurs

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) have signed a MoU in the presence of Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

The collaboration between ICAR and MoFPI will strengthen the activities of capacity development, exchange of scientific & technical information & need based research for one district one product initiatives & other products under Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme.

Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra and Secretary of MoFPI Smt. Pushpa Subrahmanyam signed the MoU.

It must be noted that Prime Minister Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme is being executed by the MoFPI under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan to support micro level food entrepreneurs, SHGs/FPOs/ Cooperatives. The scheme includes 4 major components for support to individual & groups of micro enterprises; branding & marketing, strengthening and establishing robust project management frameworks and development by incubation centers for common processing & training to entrepreneurs. In addition, provision of seed capital of up to Rs. 40000 for working capital and procurement of tools to members of SHGs & others engaged in food processing is also given.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research 103 research institutions, 11 Agriculture Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIs) & 721 Krishi Vigyan Kendra deals with crops, livestock, fisheries, agricultural mechanization, natural resources management, farmers outreach & higher agricultural education.

The FPOs/ SHGs/Cooperatives connected with ICAR Institutes and KVKs could be provided support under the PMFME Scheme for handholding, training, seed capital, working capital, credit linked subsidy etc.

The ICAR-KVKs would help the SLTIs of the States as well as MoFPI institutes in accessing to FPOs/ SHGs/ Cooperatives and their members engaged in food products with required details on their level of operations, type of product, means of production, marketing channels, production facilities, training, etc.

Source - ICAR