CSIR-CFTRI to Organize TechBharat-2022 in Mysuru from May 19-21

‘Transforming India's Food Technology and Agronomic Landscape’ is the theme of TechBharat-2022, which will be held from May 19 to 21 at the CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru.

TechBharat-2022, a mega conclave on agriculture and food technology and an exhibition organized by the IMS Foundation and Laghu Udyog Bharati-Karnataka chapter in collaboration with CSIR-CFTRI, is being held on the premises of CSIR-CFTRI because the institute is a premier food technology research lab that has developed around 400 food technologies in the last 70 years.

The conclave aims to familiarise stakeholders in the agriculture and food sectors with sustainable technologies in both sectors. Furthermore, how to revamp their strategies and scout for newer and easier ways of increasing not only agriculture yield per hectare or food productivity, but also massive wastage of agricultural produce during the pre-and post-harvest and processing stages.

The event will be attended by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, 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 BC Patil.

The conclave, according to Bhojaraj C, Honorary Secretary, Laghu Udyog Bharati, Karnataka, is also aimed at building start-up ecosystems, and delegates from food processing industries and agriculture technology promoters are expected to attend. The summit was preceded by events in Belagavi in January and Bengaluru in March.

Representatives from banks and NABARD have also been invited because financial assistance is critical for technology transfers, he said, adding that TechBharat-2022 provides an ideal platform for boosting exports with stakeholders from the food technology sector in attendance.

According to CFTRI Director Sridevi Annapurna Singh, the event was hosted by the CFTRI because it is a premier institute that has developed over 400 technologies and turned over 500 individuals into entrepreneurs. CFTRI has a large clientele because it has made many technologies available for free on its website.

CFTRI has been training people in food technology because it offers a PG course in addition to many short-term courses. It has an incubation centre where ideas germinate and start-ups are formed. CFTRI's technologies have been successfully transferred from primary processing to value addition, and some of these technologies will be featured in TechBharat as the CFTRI wishes to see many people become entrepreneurs.

Chaya Nanjappa, Vice-President, Laghu Udyog Bharati, stated that the CFTRI's cutting-edge technologies would be on display at the event, which has drawn participants from Israel. Retail titans will also be present to provide feedback on what consumers expect from the processing industries.

In response to questions, Bhojaraj stated that potential entrepreneurs would present their ideas for funding start-ups at a session attended by venture capitalists. The pitching session for start-up exhibitors and incubators has attracted more than 40 entrepreneurs.

Arguing that the event will benefit the industries, the CFTRI director stated that the institute receives about 100-120 proposals from industries each year for advice on whether to proceed with the projects. For a fee, the CFTRI provides technical feedback.

The TechBharat includes panel discussions on topics such as Agriculture Development: Outlook and Vision for the Next Decade; Technologies to improve food quality and safety in 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 technology transfer to entrepreneurs and professionals.

Union Ministers such as Jitendra Singh and Rajiv Chandrashekar, Karnataka Ministers such as C N Ashwathnarayan, industry heads, top bureaucrats from the Government of India and the Government of Karnataka, corporate heads, bankers, top industrialists, food science and technology experts are among those attending the three-day event.