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IIT Kharagpur and NCDC Sign MoU to Promote Sustainable Developments in Cooperatives, Agriculture and Allied Sectors
By PIB Kolkata, April 20, 2021
IIT Kharagpur and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) have signed a MoU towards greater collaboration in issues and areas related to the development of cooperatives, agriculture and allied sectors and to the holistic approach towards sustainable development today.
The scope of the MoU will involve the advancement of training, action research, studies, policy analysis, policy advice, consultancy, monitoring, evaluation, system development and technology development. Both organizations will collaborate and supplement the utilization of resources and facilities on matters pertaining to ‘Formation and Promotion of Farmer Producer Organisation‘, with the focus on sustainable business, capacity building, training and skill development of stakeholders.
Besides, skilling of youth through trainee/student exchange programmes including providing internship opportunities to students or alumni will be pursued under the SAHAKAR MITRA -NCDC Scheme on Internship Programme (SIP).
A Joint Working Group will also be set up to monitor various activities under the MoU and suggest necessary measures for its development.
This MoU will promote greater collaboration towards sustainable development in cooperatives, agriculture and allied sectors. It will also involve the advancement of training, action research, studies, policy analysis, policy advice, consultancy, monitoring, evaluation, system development and technology development. Besides, it will provide support towards the ‘Formation and Promotion of Farmer Producer Organisation’. This apart, it will have the opportunities for trainee/student exchange programme including providing internships
According to the Director Prof. V K Tewari, “IIT Kharagpur has been working in various skill development and sustainable development projects through various programs and outreach initiatives at the Dept. of Agricultural and Food Engineering and Centre for Rural Development and Innovative Sustainable Technology. Keeping in mind the need to strengthen the rural workforce and build sustainable solutions for them would require more exposure of the students and researchers as well as the target groups and end-users.”
Earlier in March this year, Mr. Sundeep Kumar Nayak, Managing Director, NCDC, visited the Agricultural and Food Engineering (AgFE) Department and interacted with the faculty members. It was decided to take the discussion to the next level of formal engagement between the Department and the NCDC. The Managing Director and Prof. R. Banerjee (Head of AgFE Department) agreed to join forces so that the relevant innovations could potentially be appropriated and eventually disseminated to empower rural India through cooperatives and FPOs.
