AgriTech and FoodTech has catches up the fancy of Youth: B C Patil

With the introduction of Start Up policy by Karnataka Government which provides incentives, more youth are now engaging in AgriTech and FoodTech sectors, said B C Patil, Minister for Agriculture.

Inaugurating the Connecting event of TechBharat 3.0 jointly organized by Laghu Udyog Bharati Karnataka and IMS Foundation on the theme: “Transforming India’s FoodTech, AgriTech & Agronomic Landscape” in Bengaluru he said that youth are now engaging themselves in providing solutions to the challenges faced in Food and AgriTech so that the farming community and the society benefits on this technological infusion.

Patil said, “The Start-up policy provides an excellent and very conducive environment for youth to start technology companies in Food and Agriculture, especially in the domains of organic farming and food processing and preservation. Several concepts are now being developed by start-ups which will provide operational solutions to scale up the agriculture sector so that the farming community benefits out of technology related solutions in logistics, soil testing, waste management, storing, processes, pesticide management, disease mitigation and on the whole gamut affecting this community.”

TechBharat: A flagship program of IMS Foundation & Laghu Udyog Bharati-Karnataka to effectively bring in stakeholders from across the globe on its platform to cultivate trust, coordinate networking, look-for collaborative businesses, partner with Indian counterparts, facilitate structured transfer of technology and/or constantly engage in doing business with Government of India, several State Governments, leading enterprises, startups, research institutes of national repute in achieving effective and sustained results in several emerging domains.

Former CEO, Infosys & Chairman, Axilor Ventures, Kris Gopalakrishnan opinioned that not only realigning university research activities with the societal needs and sustainable agriculture are the way forward and urged the scientists of agricultural universities and progressive farmers Krishi Vignana Kendras should work on to developing newer technologies for high yielding agriculture which could enhance the farm income.

Several top speakers including Dr. E V Ramana Reddy, IAS Additional Chief Secretary, Prof. Subbanna Ayyappan, Chancellor, Central Agricultural University, Imphal & Chairman, Karnataka Science & Technology Academy (KSTA), Dr. S. Rajendra Prasad, Vice Chancellor, UAS, Bangalore today shared their thoughts on the Agri and FoodTech sectors which is driving the neo economy in not only Karnataka but also India. Government officials from both State and Central Governments, industry captains, thought Leaders, domain experts and Students from Agri and FoodTech participated in this event.

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