National Conference on Efficient Food Processing for Climate Change Trends (EFFECT) Highlights Urgent Need for Sustainable Solutions

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India, in collaboration with the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM-K), held a two-day National Conference on Efficient Food Processing for Environmental and Climate Change Trends (EFFECT) at NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi. Esteemed dignitaries and experts convened to tackle the urgent challenges facing the food processing industry amidst the backdrop of climate change.

Dr. Harinder Singh Oberoi, Director of NIFTEM-K, set the stage for the conference by underlining the criticality of precision feeding, circular economy principles, open cultivation for hybridization, efficient supply chains, refrigeration systems, machinery, and the indispensable role of the Internet of Things (IoT) in optimizing food processing.

Keynote speaker Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), illuminated the collaborative endeavors between agencies like Sameer and the ministry aimed at mitigating food processing challenges. Shri Krishnan emphasized the conference's central focus on devising strategies to curtail losses in food production.

In her presidential address, Smt. Anita Praveen, Secretary of MoFPI, highlighted the imperative to transition towards renewable resources and minimize waste to ensure a sustainable future. She pressed upon the need to make intelligent choices.

As the Chief Guest, Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member of NITI Aayog and Chairman of the Institute of Economic Growth, highlighted that efficient food processing is indispensable for climate-smart solutions.

The program culminated with a vote of thanks from Dr. Bhim Pratap Singh, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, NIFTEM-K. Dr. Singh outlined critical areas of concern such as post-harvest losses, storage, fumigation, remote storage management, and transportation.

Nearly 200 participants, including policymakers, industry leaders, academia representatives, government officials, first-generation entrepreneurs, startups, and students specializing in agriculture, environmental science, and food processing, attended the conference. The EFFECT National Conference featured a blend of expert talks, panel discussions, and poster sessions.