Government setting up 'Agrindia' to give teeth to farm research
11 Aug 2011
The union cabinet has approved a proposal by the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), under the ministry of agriculture, for setting up a new company, called `Agrindia.'
Agrindia will be a registered company under the Companies Act, fully owned by the Government of India through the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE).
The company will have a share capital of Rs100 crore and initial paid-up capital of Rs50 crore. The company would be functional within four months.
Agrindia would undertake, amongst others:
- Protection and management of intellectual properties generated in the system and its commercialisation / distribution for public benefit;
- Production, marketing and popularisation of ICAR's products, processes and technologies in agriculture and allied sectors, viz, seed (including fodder seed, semen and fish seed), planting material, vaccines, diagnostics, several other biotechnological products, other value-added inputs and products, farm implements and machinery, other technologies etc;
- Provide skilled services from ICAR, such as consultancies, contract research, contract service, customised capacity building, technical support for turnkey project etc;
- Set up research and development farms and assist in setting up production units outside India, especially in Africa and in the Asia-Pacific region; and perhaps other regions of the world such as Latin America;
- Strive for public-private partnerships in research, education and other capacity building in agriculture and allied sectors.
Agrindia primarily aims at promoting R&D outcomes through IPR protection, commercialisation and forging partnerships both in the country and without.
An official release said farmers in the country would benefit from the formation of the company as it would provide a model for quality seed availability in the country. It would also enable manufacturing and marketing models of good quality vaccines and diagnostic kits etc.
The company would establish ICAR's R&D presence in other countries/regions, such as in Africa and the Asia Pacific region.
Agrindia would also help efficiently manage intellectual property rights in ICAR for their protection and consequent commercialisation.
