A delegation of 35 young entrepreneurs and representatives of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) from the Northern region of India, led by PI-RAHI (PU-IIT Ropar Regional Accelerator for Holistic Innovations Foundation), visited Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University , Ludhiana, under HARVEST 2.0 programme.
Dr JPS Gill, Vice Chancellor, said that exposure programmes like HARVEST 2.0 provide valuable opportunities for academia to engage with innovation-driven ecosystems and translate research into societal impact. He emphasized the need to bridge scientific research with farming communities to achieve sustainable growth and enhance the productivity of the livestock sector.
Dr. R. S. Grewal, Director of Extension Education, remarked that HARVEST 2.0 is a collaborative innovation platform that connects farmers, startups, researchers, academia, industry, and policymakers to promote technology transfer, entrepreneurship, sustainable livestock development, and commercialization of innovative agricultural solutions. The visit provided an effective platform for knowledge exchange, innovation-driven partnerships, and institutional collaboration.
.jpeg)
Dr. Vaishali Aggarwal, Project Manager, PI-RAHI informed that PI-RAHI is a state-level initiative established under the Northern Region Science & Technology Cluster established by Panjab University and IIT Ropar under the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India to promote collaboration among academia, research institutions, industry, startups, and other stakeholders. She emphasized that the visit provided participants with an opportunity to engage with one of India’s leading institutions in veterinary and animal sciences.
Dr. R. S. Sethi, Director, VLIIF and Dean, College of Animal Biotechnology, informed that the visit was jointly coordinated by Directorate of Extension Education and Vety and Livestock Innovation and Incubation Foundation (VLIIF). He highlighted VLIIF's efforts in nurturing innovation through startup incubation, mentorship, networking, and industry linkages. He expressed his sincere appreciation to the PI-RAHI team for integrating VLIIF and GADVASU to foster collaborative partnerships that promote entrepreneurship in the livestock and dairy sectors.
Dr. Sunil Kumar, extended the vote of thanks. The programme was coordinated by Ms. Iqbalpreet Kaur Sidhu, Chief Executive Officer, VLIIF, along with her team.
