June, 29th, 2022: NERAMAC (North East Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd.) hosted the 1st Green Innovation Pitch, a first of its kind startup competition to encourage Agri – Horti – Food Processing early stage innovations from the student’s fraternity of the region to present their ideas and prototype infront of an eminent panelists of Govt.-Industry- Academia, a jury with rich experience and expertise evaluated the pitches and assured handholding support & linkages for scale up. The event was held at Krishi Bhavan, Directorate of Agriculture, Guwahati, Assam; wherein overwhelming responses was witnessed amongst the student community with 35 teams from 12 different educational institutions across the region participated. The competition had series of Rewards & Recognition (Cash Prizes upto Rs.50000) in identifying Green Innovations amongst the students, mentors and institutions.
North East India and Assam is blessed with natural resources. The region primarily being driven by an agrarian economy, the youth specially the students should focus on the Agri – Horti – Food Processing sector to brainstorm and bring out value added products & services with technological intervention to take it to the next level – Be Vocal for Local to Global.
The true sense of knowledge is not intelligence but imagination and information blended for innovation. NERAMAC thus envisages building the Agricultural & Horticulture startup ecosystem by facilitating institutional participation of the student community by bridging the gap in a more inclusive way with partnerships & linkages.
The day’s session began with felicitation round of many prominent dignitaries from Agriculture & Horticulture sector. The opening speech was delivered by Manoj Kumar Das, MD-NERAMAC highlighting the organizations initiative in building the Green startup ecosystem; Tiranga Bhartiya Borah, Director-Horticulture and Food Processing, Government of Assam graced the event as Chief Guests welcomed the student fraternity to take up entrepreneurship in the sector, Bakul Saikia, State Nodal Officer- MOVCDNER emphasized the need to explore the organic value chain of North East India through innovative plans. Achinta Kumar Baruah, former faculty IIE & Bibhuti Dutta, Director, North East India, PHD Chamber of Commerce assured all possible handholding and mentoring support to the aspiring startups of the sector.Prithiviraj Neog of NEDFI deliberated on scope & prospects to explore through avalancingnortheast.in,a online portal of NEC,Ministry of DONER where the students of North East India region can get one stop information about career, Entrepreneurship, higher studies and more.
Startup is the new normal which was evident from the energy and enthusiasm demonstrated by the students in putting forward innovative ideas from Bamboo Wine to Sugar Free Chocolates to Gluten Free Noodles. There were technical pitches for flood control of farmland through eco friendly Bamboo structure to Smart Agri monitoring system using AI & ML along with innovation around Algal biofertilizer ,Mutiple biosensor to mention a few.
The 1st prize was bagged by Indian Institute Of Management, Shillong followed by students from Assam Down Town University and University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya.
Guides and mentors from Royal Global University (RGU), ADTU and USTM were also recognised for their continued commitment and contribution towards inspiring the students; further University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) received special certificate of appreciation in its efforts towards developing sustainable Green Campus Innovation Ecosystem.
