~NDDB and IIT Kharagpur sign an MoU to strengthen the edible oils value chain through research, technology, processing and farmer-centric initiatives in Eastern India.
Kolkata, West Bengal, Sep 23 (VNI): The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Kharagpur to strengthen research, technology development, processing, value addition and farmer-centric interventions in the edible oils sector, particularly in the Eastern Region.
The MoU was signed during the launch of NDDB’s Initiative for Strengthening the Edible Oils Value Chain in the Eastern Region at IIT Kharagpur Research Park, New Town, Kolkata, on Wednesday. Dilip Ghosh, Minister-in-Charge, Agricultural Marketing & Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, launched the initiative as the Chief Guest in the presence of Ashok Kirtania, Minister of Cooperation & Food and Supplies, Government of West Bengal. Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB, and Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director, IIT Kharagpur, who joined virtually, were also present along with senior government officials, representatives of ICAR, NABARD, dairy cooperatives, FPOs and farmers.
Under the partnership, NDDB and IIT Kharagpur will collaborate in research, technology development, field validation, capacity building, post-harvest management, processing and value addition in the edible oils sector. The initiative will combine NDDB’s experience in farmer institutions, cooperatives, FPOs and field implementation with IIT Kharagpur’s expertise in research, engineering, technology, data analysis and post-harvest systems. Technical support will also be provided by ICAR, BARC, KVKs and State Agricultural Universities. Seed minikits were distributed to participating farmers as part of the launch programme, marking the beginning of field-level interventions.
Speaking on the occasion, Dilip Ghosh highlighted West Bengal’s objective of increasing farmers’ income through oilseed cultivation, with a focus on mustard, groundnut, sunflower and sesamum. He said the Agricultural Marketing Department would strengthen farmers’ access to aggregation, storage, processing and marketing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and create rural employment. He also emphasised the importance of integrating oilseed production with the existing dairy cooperative network and providing farmers with training, loan assistance and insurance facilities.
Ashok Kirtania appreciated the initiative and suggested that a similar approach could be considered for pulses to increase domestic production and reduce dependence on imports. He said collaboration between the Government of West Bengal and NDDB would help ensure that benefits from agricultural value chains reach farmers directly while reducing the role of intermediaries. He also encouraged NDDB to develop reliable farmer-centric brands that could help producers increase output and establish direct connections with markets and consumers.
Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB, said strengthening domestic oilseed production and the associated value chain is a focused area for NDDB, in line with the priority accorded to the sector under the National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO). He highlighted NDDB’s experience in the oilseeds sector, including Operation Golden Flow, oilseeds cooperatives and the Dhara brand, as well as its work through dairy cooperatives and FPOs. He also pointed to the potential of integrating oilseed cultivation with dairy farming and allied activities, including the utilisation of oilseed by-products, farm residues and dairy waste to promote circular-economy approaches, improve resource utilisation and diversify farm incomes. The launch of the initiative and signing of the MoU mark the beginning of a long-term collaboration aimed at strengthening the edible oils value chain in the Eastern Region through domestic oilseed production, aggregation, processing, value addition and market linkages. VNI NEWS, NDDB, IIT Kharagpur, edible oils, oilseed production, West Bengal, National Mission on Edible Oils, NMEO, dairy cooperatives, FPOs, farmer income, agricultural value chain, NDDB IIT Kharagpur MoU, edible oils value chain, oilseed production Eastern Region, NDDB edible oils initiative, farmer-centric agricultural value chain, VNINews, VNINews.com