HYDERABAD: The International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nandan Biomatrix Ltd to initiate the Nutriplus Knowledge Centre in the Agri-Science Park, which entails an investment of Rs 4 crore.
Nandan Biomatrix, which works in the field of medicinal plants, will hand over the equipment of its R&D facilities at the Agri-Science Park to the Knowledge Centre for use by future partners, while continuing to be a partner.
Two other agreements with GreenPort Corporation and Yes Bank are almost ready.
GreenPort will contribute Rs 2 Crore and become a core member of Nutriplus, while Yes Bank will contribute an equal amount.
ICRISAT Director General William Dar said that the aim was to synergise the strength of the private sector with ICRISAT’s technological prowess and provide a successful model for public-private partnership. The Agri-Science Park would stand out as a model for food science parks throughout India.
India produces 600 million tonnes of food or eight per cent of the world’s output, but has only a 1.5 per cent share in the international food trade and 1.8 per cent share in food-related value added services.
“Nutriplus Knowledge Centre is envisaged as being the first step in ramping up India’s share in value addition in food processing and it will provide linkages in the food processing industry which will improve the economic lot of poor dryland farmers,” said William Dar.
The focus of Nutriplus will be to provide new food options like bread, breakfast cereals, snacks, petfood and biofuels by focusing on ICRISAT’s mandate crops of Sorghum, millets, groundnuts, pigeonpea and chickpeas.
Managing Director of the Agri-Science Park, Barry Shapiro, said that the total budget envisaged for Nutriplus was Rs 30 crore over three to five years out of which the Government of AP had already sanctioned Rs 2 crore.