KAU AGRI BUSINESS INCUBATOR
- We incubate to grow your buisness
In this globalisation era, In order to remain a front-runner needs to primarily focus on the agriculture sector, the backbone of the economy. This specialisation will develop agripreneurs with distinct traits and skills to exploit opportunities galore in the field of agriculture. Among the various strategies to promote planned growth in this sector, focus on promoting viable enterprises will certainly help exploit its operational efficiency to the hilt. Agriculture is the mainstay of the Indian economy because of its high share in employment and livelihood creation. It is also an important source of raw material and demand for many industrial products, particularly fertilisers, pesticides, agricultural implements and a variety of consumer goods.
A shift from agriculture to agribusiness is an essential pathway to revitalize Indian agriculture and to make more attractive and profitable venture. Keeping this in mind, government has initiated technology business incubation units to promote entrepreneurship and agro- industry which will open the vistas of incubation landscape to the micro segment of the vast rural economy. They promote growth through innovation and application of technology, support economic development strategies for small business development, and encourage growth from within local economies, while also providing a mechanism for technology transfer.
KAU Agri Business Incubator
The Agri-business Incubator (ABI) a pioneering incubation centre of Kerala Agricultural University situated at KCAET Tavanur was launched in 2012 encompassing agri-market-oriented development plan that seeks to improve farmer’s livelihoods through agri-business incubation.
Role of KAU agri business incubator
Agri business incubator aims to set a benchmark in the field of Food processing, to check post-harvest losses of the state. The ABI at Kerala Agricultural University is a premier incubation centre for post-harvest technology research with its effective and cost-attractive processing systems for agricultural commodities, particularly fruits and vegetables, spices, coconut and rice. The potential of rural food processing industry to tackle this challenge is yet to be fully exploited in the state. Employment is much higher in the food sector than any other sector. Therefore, role of ABI becomes vital for a rapid transformation of the rural economy in a state like India.
Activities
- To promote the state of art of post-harvest technology research and product development for the benefit of the public in the state
- To facilitate creation of agri-business enterprises through technology development and commercialization
- To develop, produce and promote the value added products from crops of the state to ensure food security and high income to the farmers
- To analyze the quality and safety of various food commodities and to standardize its protocol
- To establish a postharvest management and value addition centre for under exploited fruits and vegetables
KAU agri business incubator - stepping towards success
The state funded centre established at Kerala Agricultural University has developed many innovative process protocols and food processing machineries to cater the needs of emerging food processing sector. The KAU ABI has provided entrepreneur support to several food processing industries. The centre has also contributed towards the design and development of women friendly/gender friendly -small scale processing tools. The ABI has played significant role in promoting entrepreneurship development in jack fruit processing, banana processing and rice processing sector in the state. The ABI also conducts regular workshops on entrepreneurship developments in food processing sector to potential food entrepreneurs.
- Process protocol for vacuum impregnated Fruits and vegetables is one of the signature technology of KAU Agri Business Incubator
- Standardization of the process protocol of GABA enriched germinated rice flakes
- Process protocol for minimally processed retorted pineapple was standardized under this centre
- Development of RTS from the by-product of VCO is one of the innovative technology of this ABI
- The centre has provided entrepreneur support to nine processing industries (two rice mills, banana based ethnic mix, dried fruits and vegetables, spice powders, thermal processed tender jackfruit, intermediate moisture ripe banana and jackfruit, passion fruit processing and two are in progress. These processing industries provides a regular income to the rural youth specially women group.
- The centre has developed gender friendly processing equipment viz; jackfruit slicer, combo drier suitable for blanching and drying of fruits and vegetables, banana slicer, edible wax applicator, chappathi maker, coconut scraper, multi fruit slicer cum dicer etc for micro- small and medium scale processing industries.
- Process protocol for vacuum fried fruits & vegetables with enhanced nutritive value and consumer acceptance (better colour and 90% reduced oil uptake). The frying oil could be reused more than 60 times compared to the conventional frying system.
- Process protocol for retort pouch packaging of tender jackfruit which could extend the shelf life about six months.
- Process protocol for tuber based and millet based RTE & RTC products
- Technology for the production of microencapsulated whey-melon juice, and 'banana pseudostem juice-horse gram extract' powder.
- Developed hot extruded ready to eat snack food from healthy ingredients viz; medicinal rice, Nendran banana, ragi and corn
- Retort pouch packaging of ethnic food products viz; Jackfruit varatty and Ramessery idly.
- Development of cold extruded nutraceutical pasta/noodles with grains (specialty rice like Rakthasali, Kumkumasali, Njavara, etc), corn, and vegetables as ingredients.
- Process protocol for osmo-vac dried intermediate moisture ripe banana and jack fruit.
- Process protocol for spray dried fruit juice powders
- Standardization of ethnic health mix based on banana flour, ragi flour and Njavara rice.
- Created a training hall facility for providing hands on training/ demonstration to potential entrepreneurs. The centre has conducted more than fifty EDP training programmes to potential stake holders/ entrepreneurs.
MILESTONES
Agri-buisness incubator at KAU was popularised by helping several food processing ventures by means of transferring technologies, providing mentor support etc. Some of the success ventures that are running successfully with the support of ABI technologies are listed below.
- Ready-To-Eat Noodles, Brahma Indic Nutrients Pvt. Ltd, Adat
- Jack fruit based food processing industry at Mala, KAICO, Thrissur
- Banana flour based industry at Kulukkallur, Palakkad (Suma Foods)
- Retort Processing technology for Jack fruit technology was adopted by Artocarpus Pvt Ltd, KINFRA, Kannur
- Modern rice milling unit, Chandragiri modern rice mills, Malappuram
- Food gate, Nila
- VFPCK, Kottayam, Thalir banana based products
- Grama sree, Veliyancode, Rice flour and spice powders
- Several Self help groups, small scale industries and Farmers successfully adopted and started their agri-business
TRAINING/WORKSHOP
As a part of our outreach program ABI centre conducts monthly training/ workshop on Entrepreneurship development programme on Food processing to budding entrepreneurs who are seeking ideas for their business. The focus of training is to trigger the minds of entrepreneurs to embark into food business. The training benefits existing entrepreneurs with innovative technology to compete in consumer market.