Latest news with #AgriHackathon
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Centre launches ‘Clean Plant Programme' for grapes, oranges & pomegranates from Maha
The union government has launched the 'Clean Plant Programme' for grapes, oranges and pomegranates from Maharashtra; the programme will be implemented pan-India whereby farmers will get the said horticultural plants 'disease-free'. The launch was announced at India's first international Agri Hackathon organised in Pune, which was attended by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Chouhan lauded the innovation and enthusiasm demonstrated by the participants and acknowledged Maharashtra's significant contributions to horticultural excellence. 'Maharashtra has emerged as a horticulture hub of the country. The efforts of the government and the hard work of the state's farmers have set an example for the rest of the nation. There is no guarantee whether the plants available for cultivation in the horticulture sector are disease-free and productive. To solve this problem, the central government will launch the 'Clean Plant Programme' to ensure that plants available to farmers are disease-free,' Chouhan said. Nine 'Clean Plant Programmes' will be started across the country, three of which will be started in Maharashtra at a cost of ₹300 crore, Chouhan said. The 'Clean Plant Programme' for grapes will be started in Pune; that for oranges in Nagpur; and that for pomegranates in Solapur, Chouhan informed. Modern nurseries too will be set up along with these projects, Chouhan further said. The nurseries will support those who use technology for agriculture. A sum of ₹3 crore will be provided for large nurseries whereas that of ₹1.5 crore will be provided for medium-sized nurseries, he said. Through these nurseries, eight crore disease-free seedlings will be available to the farmers every year. The union minister expressed confidence that Maharashtra's horticulture will be able to compete with the rest of the world. Chouhan also said that India looks forward to cooperation from countries such as Israel and the Netherlands for this programme. The union minister added that scientists work in laboratories to produce good seeds, increase production and diagnose diseases. However, their research does not reach farmers in a timely manner. To bridge this gap, the government is trying to bring scientists and farmers together through 'Lab to Land'. For this, Chouhan said that the central government has taken an important decision that 16,000 scientists from across the country will come out of the laboratories and work directly with the farmers and the agriculture department of the union Government. Chouhan expressed his belief that if science and farmers come together and they get the support of the government and agricultural universities, miracles will happen in the agricultural sector.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Centre to spend Rs300 crore in setting up 3 horticulture facilities in Maharashtra, says Chouhan
Pune: Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday announced that Central govt will set up three horticulture facilities for grapes, oranges and pomegranates in Pune, Nagpur and Solapur at a cost of Rs300 crore under its clean plants programme. These facilities among others will offer farmers healthy saplings for production of disease-free crops. "State has shown a path to the entire country by producing fine qualities of grapes, pomegranates, oranges, vegetables, and other agricultural produce. Centre will help the farmers increase production and get better returns for their crops," he said while attending an agri hackathon organised at Agriculture College in Pune on Thursday. Calling Maharashtra the horticulture hub of the country, the minister said during his recent visits to various states, farmers came up with complaints of not getting healthy saplings. "Some private companies are also providing saplings that appear to be healthy, but when the yield comes, some bacteria or viruses are found in them," he said. He said Centre will set up nine facilities across the country to boost horticulture production, of which three will be in Maharashtra. "The one in Pune will focus on grapes, while the facilities in Nagpur and Solapur will work on saplings of oranges and pomegranates respectively." Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, in his speech, said state govt will provide the necessary help to winners of Agri Hackathon so that they can convert their innovations into successful start-ups. "Climate change has affected agriculture production, and the use of technology can address the problem." Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and state agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate were also present in the event.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Pune Agri Hackathon 2025: Union minister Chouhan announces 9 clean plant facilities, state gets 3 worth Rs 300 cr
Speaking at the prize distribution ceremony of India's first Agri Hackathon in Pune on Tuesday, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the launch of 'Clean Plant Programme' to establish nine horticultural facilities across the country. Chouhan revealed that three of these facilities will be located in Maharashtra, for grapes in Pune, oranges in Nagpur, and pomegranates in Solapur, with an investment of Rs 300 crore. Addressing the gathering that included Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Minister of Higher & Technical Education Chandrakant Patil, State Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, Horticulture Minister Bharat Gogawale, and others, Chouhan highlighted Maharashtra's leadership in agriculture production, particularly in horticulture. 'There have been persistent challenges, such as a lack of healthy horticultural plants in nurseries. One cannot predict the disease beforehand, and later, when the plant grows fully, it is found with multiple diseases. So the Government of India is launching a 'Clean Plant Programme' to provide virus-free, disease-free plants through dedicated nurseries.' The clean plant initiative will get expert technical guidance from Israel and the Netherlands, while this initiative will complement advanced nurseries, with investments of Rs 3 crore for large nurseries and Rs 1.5 crore for mid-sized nurseries. These nurseries are expected to provide 8 crore disease-free plants. Chouhan emphasised that PM Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat can only be possible through Viksit Kheti and farmer welfare. 'We have over 16,000 scientists inventing in 113 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) centres, but their research solutions haven't reached the farms yet. We are working on Lab-Land synthesis that will end this disconnect,' he stated. Devendra Fadnavis thanked Chouhan for launching the 'Clean Plant Initiative' from Pune and praised the allocation of 20 lakh homes through the Rural Development Ministry. 'With Maharashtra being the horticulture basket of the country, this initiative will help grow horticulture exports,' he said. Fadnavis highlighted the urgent need for technological intervention in agriculture to combat climate change, rising input costs, and declining productivity. Despite agriculture engaging 45 per cent of the state's population, an increasing farm labour shortage poses significant challenges. 'Technological innovation like AI, blockchain, machine learning and others is the only way to address farmers' growing concerns,' he noted. The hackathon showcased various innovative solutions, including an AI-based chatbot providing scientific solutions to farmers in Marathi, a cotton harvester with AI-led complete crop management, crop protection modules against wild animals, and wireless fertigation systems based on Israeli practices for precise nutrient delivery and water conservation. Fadnavis announced plans to utilise the state government's Rs 120 crore startup dedicated Fund of Funds along with a similar Central government fund, to provide incubation and financial support for converting participant ideas into scalable start-ups. 'Maharashtra leads in agri startups in the country, and by empowering startups from tier 2, tier 3 cities, we will make them commercially marketable, keeping farmer welfare in mind,' he added. The Chief Minister also emphasised bringing a crop cover scheme with the central government's support to protect farmers from extreme weather-related crop losses. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that Pune's agricultural foundation was laid by Rajmata Jijau Maasaheb four centuries ago through Bal Shivaji Maharaj. 'Though we see AI-led developments today, the prosperity of drought-prone agriculture and poor farmers started then, which helped Maharashtra grow as a leading state in agri-production,' Pawar said. Pawar highlighted agriculture's resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic when other sectors stagnated. 'Maximum produce in minimum inputs, sustainable income, introducing technology-led farming method is the need today and Pune Agri Hackathon has worked well in these sectors,' he said, encouraging eliminated participants to continue consistent work on innovative solutions. 'The three-day Pune Agri Hackathon, held from June 1 to 3, was part of the five-year agricultural development plan for Pune, featuring cluster-based farming for climate-suitable crops. The initiative aims to empower over 1 lakh farmers who can use technology to increase agricultural production,' said Pune Collector Jitendra Dudi. 'The first-ever agri-hackathon received 551 entries across categories, including AI applications, fertigation, farm mechanisation, water and soil management, post-harvest technology, agri-economics and others. The jury panel selected 140 participants for the exhibition, with first-place winners receiving Rs 25 lakh and runner-up getting Rs 15 lakh. However, 50 per cent of the prize money will be given after analysing on-farm implementation outcomes,' added Dudi. Several MoUs were signed with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Bombay Chamber of Commerce, Nature Growth and others to provide incubation support to budding entrepreneurs, ensuring the hackathon's ideas translate into practical solutions.
Iraq Business
17-04-2025
- Business
- Iraq Business
Youth tackle Food Waste in Iraq
From the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Fresh solutions: youth tackle tomato waste in Iraq When Zaid, a veterinarian and university lecturer, decided to enter a hackathon to dream up innovations in agriculture, he turned to the past to find a name for his team. He chose the name NABU to honour the ancient Mesopotamian deity, revered as the god of wisdom, agricultural prosperity and abundant harvests. With this inspiration, the team was determined to tackle a pressing issue facing farmers in the Ninewa region of Iraq: tomato waste. 'We wanted to address the massive food waste during peak tomato seasons, where farmers often discard excess tomatoes,' said Zaid. 'Our goal was to transform these surplus tomatoes into valuable products.' A meeting of minds at the hackathon The team's journey began at the EU-funded hackathon in February, where they came together to create something that could solve a real-world problem. 'Some of us had backgrounds in agriculture, while others were involved in different initiatives, but the hackathon was where it all clicked,' said Isen, a team member with deep agricultural roots. It was here that NABU's core idea took shape: turning surplus tomatoes into dried food products. Each item is crafted from surplus tomatoes, showcasing a practical and sustainable solution to seasonal food waste in Iraq. Photo: © UN in Iraq 'We were inspired to create value-added products that could provide both a sustainable solution for farmers and a nutritious option for consumers,' said Huda, a member with a diploma in finance and a current student in management information systems. The products they envisioned included dried tomato slices, tomato powders, and tomatoes preserved in olive oil-natural products that could be sold locally and eventually internationally. Turning vision into reality During the hackathon, the team refined their idea and expanded it. 'We realized that drying wasn't enough-we needed to add more value,' said Zaid. 'That's when we introduced different forms of tomato powder and even began to explore the potential health benefits of tomatoes, like extracting lycopene, known for its anti-aging and anti-cancer properties.' Collaboration during the event was crucial. 'The hackathon provided a competitive and dynamic environment that pushed us to think critically about how to turn our idea into a viable business,' said Islam, a young journalist. Participants brainstorm ideas during the Agri Hackathon, where young minds came together to tackle local farming challenges. Photo: © UN in Iraq By the end of the competition, NABU had refined a business model that set them on the path to becoming local food innovators. Expanding the vision: Rabiyan, the local brand After winning first place and receiving a grant of 2.5 million Iraqi dinars (about $1,900), NABU began investing in product development. 'We used the grant to scale our production process, making sure our products were fully packaged and ready for the market,' said Saja, who has a degree in physics and was instrumental in turning the vision into a tangible product. 'We're actively looking for additional funding to grow our business and increase our reach,' Isen added. Winning team showcases their tomato-derived creations, developed to transform surplus crops into valuable goods. Photo: © UN in Iraq Their brand, Rabiyan, was named after a region in Mosul known for its high tomato production. 'Rabiyan is synonymous with tomatoes in our community,' said Zaid. 'By naming our brand after this place, we wanted to highlight the local nature of our products.' The team was determined to push forward, knowing that the road to success wouldn't be easy. 'We've faced challenges, especially in terms of customer trust and market penetration, but we believe in the quality and health benefits of our products,' said Noor, who has a background in veterinary medicine. Building customer trust and looking to the future The team has been working on building customer trust in their products, especially since dried tomato products are new to the Iraqi market. 'People are interested, but we need to work harder to convince them that our product is of the highest quality,' Huda said. They have been using social media, local exhibitions, and even offering free samples to increase awareness and customer confidence. After securing first place at the Agri Hackathon and winning a grant of 2.5 million Iraqi dinars, the team behind NABU began transforming their vision into a growing product line. Photo: © UN in Iraq Looking ahead, NABU aims to expand the Rabiyan brand across Iraq and into Gulf countries, with a focus on markets such as Saudi Arabia, where demand for high-quality, locally produced products is steadily increasing. 'Believe in your idea. Even if it seems small or crazy at first, keep pushing. You never know where it can lead you,' Zaid added. NABU's journey from a hackathon idea to a growing business is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and perseverance. With a strong local foundation and an eye on international markets, the team is poised for continued success. 'We started with just one tomato,' said Huda. 'Now we have four products-and we're just getting started.' The agricultural hackathon was organized by the International Trade Centre in partnership with Mosul Space under the EU-funded SAAVI project. (Source: UNDP)
