NIFTEM adopts skill & entrepreneurship development training programme

New Delhi : The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) adopted the Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Training Programme in food processing for the youth of four Haryana villages (Harchandpur, Rojkameo, Tej Nagar, Dauhla) under the Smart Gram Pilot Project of Rashtrapati Bhawan. It was inaugurated by Ajit Kumar, vice-chancellor, NIFTEM, recently.

Sixty-five participants from these four villages were given exposure of the basics of food processing through classroom, lab work and field visits.

In his inaugural speech, Kumar said, “NIFTEM has the privilege of taking up the challenge given by the president of India to upgrade and enhance livelihood of five adopted villages through food processing.” He appreciated all the participants for coming forward to add value to their village life through skilling themselves and working for a bright future.

Kumar mentioned that farmers of this country were not getting a reasonable price and were contemplating leaving farming and shifting to nearby towns.

In this scenario, if the farmers are able to add value and increase the shelf life of the raw produce that they produce on their farms, they would be able to make agriculture more profitable. At NIFTEM, the participants were imparted the basic training related to their interest areas.

Through various sessions by experts, they understood loan formalities, establishment of business, manufacturing, storage, supply chain, cold chain and marketing of products, as a part of the holistic approach for a food business.

NIFTEM has already been undertaking the village adoption programme since 2012, and  39 villages had already been adopted across India. Pitam Chandra, professor in charge of the Village Adoption Programme, said that it is all about a change of mindset, and once learners realize the convenience of starting a food processing unit, they come closer to starting their business.

The mentors of the respective villages, Anurag Singh,Ojha,Siddhartha Singha, Vinkel Arora and Tribhuwan, were also present.

NIFTEM’s vice-chancellor, in his valedictory address, congratulated the learners for successfully completing the training programme and hoped that they would use the skills from this training and start preparing themselves for the establishment of their own food processing units.

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