The School of Business Studies and the NIDHI-TBI (Technology Business Incubator) team at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), hosted the visit of a dynamic group of progressive farmers from the village Chatha Sekhwan, Sangrur.
These visionary farmers/rural youth, who are currently engaged in the development and implementation of a societal cluster model, focusing on backward linkage marketing to create more inclusive and sustainable agricultural practices in their region, interacted with the Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal.
Their visit to PAU was motivated by a desire to seek expert guidance on innovative agricultural practices and sustainable farming models that could be adapted to their cluster approach, suggested by Mr Bal Mukand Sharma, Chairman Punjab State Food Commission and his team.
While interacting, Dr Gosal lauded the delegation for working diligently to empower economically weaker sections in the rural areas by providing them with necessary agricultural machinery, social support, and financial assistance. “This model is further strengthened by the active involvement of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), whose financial contributions are helping transform lives in underprivileged rural communities,” informed the visiting farmers. Further, Dr Gosal observed that by involving the underprivileged and unemployed sections of the community in value-added activities like processing, packaging, branding, and selling, these initiatives could serve as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth.
During the interactive session, Dr Ramandeep Singh, Principal Investigator, NIDHI-TBI and Director, School of Business Studies, lauded the team for their forward-thinking approach and dedication to social upliftment through agriculture. Dr Singh shared insights into advanced agribusiness models and encouraged the group to adopt a self-sustaining approach by focusing on production, processing, and direct marketing of their agricultural produce. He also emphasized the importance of creating a common retail platform within the village to facilitate the sale of farm products directly to consumers, thereby reducing dependency on intermediaries and enhancing farmers’ incomes.
Mr Sharma said that the interaction served as a meaningful platform for knowledge exchange and highlighted the role of academic institutions in facilitating social entrepreneurship in the agri-sector.
In addition, Mr Gurinder Singh, CEO, NIDHI-TBI, DST, GoI Research and at PAU, emphasized the importance of adopting an agribusiness mindset and the need to integrate forward and backward linkages to create a robust and sustainable value chain.
The delegation discussed the models of community-based agribusiness, highlighting the examples of successful rural enterprises that have leveraged local resources and cooperative efforts for sustainable development. The visit concluded with a renewed sense of purpose among the farmers and a commitment from the PAU’s NIDHI-TBI team to continue supporting community-led agricultural innovations.
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