The Attapadiregion of Kerala has tribal population of around 32,956, which constitutes 44% of the total population of the block. Along with millets, tubers play a significant role in the food and nutritional security of the tribal farmers in this region. Considering importance of improving the nutritional quality of food basket of tribes, ICAR-CTCRI has initiated the “Rainbow Diet Campaign” programme for establishing value chain of biofortified sweet potato for combating malnutrition among children. Following the success of the “nutriseed village” – planting material production programme in the Sholayur region, the ICAR-CTCRI and KAU have decide to establish a “Satellite Incubation Centre”(SIC) – a value-chain focused entrepreneurship development centre through ICAR-CTCRI’s Agri-Business Incubator, at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Kerala Agricultural University, Pattambi. The SIC at KAU, Pattambi will be a “miniature incubator” designed to establish biofortified sweet potato value chains in Attapadi to address childhood malnutrition. The incubation services offered by SIC include value-chain based technology development, assessment and refinement; business mentoring; credit and market facilitation; IP management; Technical and business capacity building; business networking and market facilitation. This will serve as a “first of its kind” SIC focusing exclusively on developing entrepreneurship among tribals from attapadi and other regions in Kerala. This SIC will provide vital incubation support to agripreneurs, Self-Help groups, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), startups and MSME. The MoU was inked by Dr. G. Byju, Director of ICAR-CTCRI, and Dr. A. Sakeer Hussain, Registrar of KAU, in the presence of Dr. Jacob John, Director of Extension, KAU; Mr. Dhruva V.C., Business Manager of Agrinnovate India, scientists from ICAR-CTCRI and KAU. During the presidential address, Dr G. Byju stressed the importance of developing value-chain based businesses and informed that RARS SIC will be fourth SIC established by ICAR-CTCRI ABI. At his keynote address, Dr Jacob John called for integrating SIC efforts with the KVK system to develop grassroot entrepreneurship. While inking the MOU, Dr A. Sakeer Hussain, Registrar, KAU has narrated KAU efforts in establishing collaboration with Indian and foreign Universities and informed that SIC is the only business-focused institutional collaboration of the University. Mr Dhruva V, Business Manager, Agrinnovate India appreciated ICAR-CTCRI and KAU efforts in developing such business focused collaboration. Dr. P. Sethuraman Sivakumar, Principal Scientist and Incharge of ICAR-CTCRI Agri-Business Incubator has explained the functional modalities associated with SICs. This initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening the tuber crop value chain in tribal areas of Kerala and supporting rural economic development.
