IIT Madras partners with Tamil Nadu government for research, innovation in agri-food sector

In a bid to give a major impetus to the state’s agriculture and food processing sector, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has partnered with the Tamil Nadu Agri Business and Food Processing Export Corporation (TNAPEx), under the state government, to promote rural development, agri-business innovation, and inclusive economic growth in the region.

The partnership was formalised through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat.

Arshinder Kaur, Vaibhav Chawla, and G Arun Kumar from the department of management studies at IIT Madras will lead the joint efforts towards research, training and consulting for this initiative.

The MoU emphasises joint efforts in the following areas:

• Making rural youth skilled in agribusiness
• More efficient supply chains leading to reduced food wastage
• Exploring export potential
• Marketing efforts through improved packaging and branding
• Government schemes for greater impact

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Atul Anand, IAS, additional chief secretary, MSME department, government of Tamil Nadu, emphasised on the Tamil Nadu state government’s commitment to transforming rural supply chains, reducing post-harvest losses, and increasing farmer incomes through innovation and collaboration.

V Kamakoti, director of IIT Madras, laid out the institute’s role in the partnership, that is to “improve operational efficiency, marketability, and sustainability” in Tamil Nadu’s agri-business ecosystem through “research, training, technological, and marketing interventions”.

The signing ceremony took place at the Tamil Nadu secretariat in the presence of Anand, Kamakoti, and K Alagusundaram, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of TNAPEx. Other IIT Madras faculty members present were Manu Santhanam, dean (IC and SR), and Saji Mathew, head of the department of management studies.

IIT Madras agriculture initiatives

The director of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), V Palanimuthu, was also present, along with the vice chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University (TNJFU), N Felix, and the vice chancellor of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), KN Selvakumar.

Alagusundaram talked about the “strategic importance of connecting Tamil Nadu’s rural micro-enterprises to global markets and leveraging academic collaboration to boost capacity and competitiveness” through this joint initiative.