PAU HOLDS WORKSHOP ON AGRI START-UPS INTERACTION SKILLING THE START-UPS, A PRIORITY: DR SS GOSAL

Ludhiana, July 27, 2023: “Contemporarily when there is economic slowdown and financial constraints, the graph of PAU trained startups is scaling high with the efforts of Punjab Agri Business Incubator (PABI),” lauded Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, while inaugurating the one-day workshop on “Agri Start-ups Interaction” at Farmers’ Service Centre today. During the workshop, skilled and successful entrepreneurs and start-ups, trained by PABI, dived deep into their journey of trials and triumphs.

In a free-wheeling interaction, the chief guest Dr Gosal said that innovation was a key to the success of agri start-ups. “Being a premier agricultural institute of India, PAU has earned a global recognition for its outstanding contributions to the ushering in of Green Revolution, thus making the nation food secure. Industrious farmers of Punjab have always been receptive and with their undaunted courage and indefatigable spirits, they have equally cultivated appreciation across the world,” he stated. Now presently, PAU was again on the top in producing successful agri start-ups in India, he said, adding that the University was proud of Punjab farmers and agri start-ups.”

Skilling the unskilled Punjab and making it self-reliant has been the top priority of PAU, remarked Dr Gosal, while lauding the efforts of the Skill Development Centre’s Founder Director Dr TS Riar in boosting the entrepreneurship. During interaction, PAU VC also gave a valuable suggestion to the start-ups, to remain in touch with the experts for scientific guidance.

Dr GS Buttar, Director of Extension Education, who was the guest of honour, hailed the role of Krishi Vigyan Kendras in producing agri start-ups. Delighted to see the rapid progress of start-ups in diversification, he stated: “This kafla (convoy) must go on and touch great heights in future.”

While giving a brief introduction of PABI, Dr Poonam A Sachdev, Principal Food Technologist and Co-Principal Investigator of PABI, highlighted that out of 24 projects running across India, PAU has scored number one rank for producing successful start-ups. Informing that the University has trained 57 start-ups in food processing, farm machinery, devising of mobile app and other areas of agriculture, she said that these startups have won several accolades for maintaining the quality and standards of products and other services.

In his welcome remarks, Dr TS Riar, Additional Director Communication and Principal Investigator of PABI, said that PABI project was for the benefit of entrepreneurs, start-ups, rural and urban youths and women, as well as farmers. The main aim was to hone their entrepreneurial skills, provide funding under PABI and enable them to become job providers instead of job seekers, he added.

Later, Dr Kuldeep Singh, Director of Extension Education, while proposing a vote of thanks, suggested imparting start-ups training to the PAU students.

Er Karanvir Gill, Business Manager, PABI and Mr Rahul Gupta, Assistant Manager, PABI, coordinated and conducted the programme.

The start-ups expressed their gratitude to the PAU, saying that the label of this University always gives them respect wherever they go.