“Felt problems of many are the opportunities for the entrepreneurs”, opined Shri Nagaraja Prakasam, startup mentor and investor, while inaugurating Dream Big-Kalpa, the Institute-Industry interface at ICAR-CPCRI on 5 March 2024. Agriculture sector will continue to be a driving force in the Indian startup ecosystem and the research institutions and Agri-Busing Incubators have a decisive role to convert such initiations to successful ventures, he said.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi that India lives in its villages, Nagaraja reaffirmed the scope of entrepreneurs to solve problems unique to each village starting from production/manufacturing to marketing. The environmental and climatic change concerns are also to be addressed.

Dr. Ramachandra Hebbar, Scientist G & General Manager RRSC-South, NRSC, Bangalore highlighted the space technology applications in agriculture and rural sector. He mentioned that the students can utilize the facilities of ISRO at free of cost.

Science and technology-based innovations can only make the country to a super economic power as envisioned by our Prime Minister said Dr. Manoj P. Samuel, Executive Director, CWRDM, Kozhikode in his address.

“Interaction between researchers and industrialists will enable much needed refinements in technologies for effectiveness and wide adoption” said Dr. K. Balachardra Hebbar, Director, ICAR-CPCRI, in his presidential address.

Dr. K. Muralidharan, Principal Scientist, ICAR-CPCRI, delivered the keynote address focused on commercialized technologies from the Institute and scope for improving through integration of advances in IoT, AI, UAV, and robotics.

Following the inaugural session a networking tea was arranged along with an exhibition of technology-related products of ICAR-CPCRI.

There were two panel discussions: The one on 'Farming in the 5G+ Era: Leaving drudgery for leisure’ was moderated by Preethi Manniledam, CEO, TBI, NIT-C, Kozhikode and the panelists were A. Madhavan, CEO, Mizone, Kannur, Rony K. Roy, Sr. Technical Fellow, Kerala Startup Mission, Ananya Bengera, InUnity LLP, Sayadri College, Mangalore, and Sajith Kumar K, General Manager, DIC, Kasaragod.

The second panel was on ‘Breaking the technology stalemate’ moderated by K. Muralidharan. Manoj P Samuel, Ramachandra Hebbar and scientists from CPCRI (Vinayaka Hegde, Ravi Bhat, Elain Apshara and Daliyamol) were in the panel.

Impression on the programme was shared by Jayasudha, J.S., Professor, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, and Hemalatha N, St. Aloysius Deeme to be University, Mangalore.

Four MoAs were inked for technology transfer: With Mr. Shivakumar P, Production and Marketing Manager, Ecophytocare India Pvt. Ltd., Mysuru formicrobial probiotic technologies (Kera Probio’, ‘Kera Probio+’, ‘Cocoa Probio’ and ‘KerAM);Gramalakshmi Marketing Producer Company Limited for Kalpa Soil Care; Ramnagara Zilla Mango and Coconut Crop Farmer Producer Company Ltd. for Kalparasa; and Praveen, R. for Coconut Chips

Dr. K. Ponnusamy, Head, Social Sciences welcomed the gathering and Dr. M. R. Manikantan, Principal Scientist proposed a vote of thanks.