KASARGOD:
A five-day ‘Rural India Business Conclave’ concluded here this week with a call to strengthen the villages for the country’s prosperity and revitalise traditional industries with wider use of updated technology.
The February 27-March 2 meet, which was jointly organised by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and Central Plantations Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) with the aim of accelerating the growth of rural economies across states, pooled in countrywide ideas by institutions under the Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR). Overall, the event was attended by around 80 students from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The conclave hosted a three-day Hackathon that ended on March 1, enabling contestants to develop prototypes of technological devices that can aid farming in India. Mangalore-based Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management was adjudged the winner for devising a mobile app that regulates drip irrigation in multiple cropping, bagging a prize of Rs 50,000 and a clutch of privileges offered by the KSUM. As many as 75 teams had applied for the Hackathon, from which 20 teams were selected and five qualified for the final.
The 30-hour Hackathon segment also discussed total technological reliance to measure the growth of a coconut, robot-assisted grafting, an e-commerce platform that facilitates farmers to sell products in the international market and a facility that coordinates collection and disposal of waste. The other highlights of the event were an Agri Startup Expo, a masterclass on India Technology by leading mentor-investor Nagaraja Prakasham and a session by legal Harikrishnan C A on the legal aspects for startups.
Inaugurated by Kasargod MLA N A Nellikkunnu, the opening ceremony was addressed by KSUM Chief Executive Officer Dr Saji Gopinath, CPCRI Director Dr Anitha Karun, Kasargod District Panchayat President A G C Basheer, top investor P K Gopalakrishnan who is Director of Malabar Innovation Zone, and CPCRI Social Science Head Dr K Muraleedharan.
The event conducted a conference on ‘Startups to Leverage Rural Economy’, focusing on issues entrepreneurs and startups in villages face and suggesting ways to ways to resolve them. The speakers included Fresh To Home founder Mathew Joseph, digital system Save Mom developer M Senthil Kumar, Dr Saji Varghese, who has developed straw from coconut leaf, Kozhikode-based startup Green Worms co-founder Mohammed Jamsheer and vegetable online sales startup Farmers Fresh Zone founder Pradeep P S.
Investor P K Gopalakrishnan, who is Director of Malabar Innovation Zone, led a panel discussion featuring technological experts and academicians working in the rural sector. He also gave a class on startup investment possibilities for entrepreneurs in Kasargod district in association with the Lions Club in Chandragiri. Rainwater harvesting expert Sikandar Meeranayak, who is winner of Energy Globe World award, also attended the meet.
A seminar, titled ‘Dream Big – Kalpa’, to introduce the technological advancements made in farming by ICAR and CPCRI. The experts spoke on the financial, technological and legal help the two organisations provide to the entrepreneurs in the field.
Besides the CPCRI that hosted the event here, the participating establishments included Central Tuber Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram; Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Ernakulam; Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode; Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore; Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad; National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli and Kerala Agriculture University.
