Icrisat starts NutriPlus Knowledge Centre
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) initiated the functioning of NutriPlus Knowledge Centre in the Agri-Science Park (ASP) located on its campus at Patancheru here by entering into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Nandan Biomatrix Limited on Thursday.
Icrisat announced that it would also be signing similar agreements with GreenPort Corporation and Yes Bank Limited.
NutriPlus will be a platform for the development of new food products and innovation in food processing with focus on cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables, and medicinal and aromatic plants. It will be developed as a public-private partnership model and backstop food processing-related research requirements for Icrisat.
As per the MoU with Nandan Biomatrix, the Hyderabad-based company, which had established research and development facilities in the ASP, will be handing its equipment to the NutriPlus Knowledge Centre. The company will also become a member of NutriPlus.
Under the proposed MoU with GreenPort Corporation, Icrisat will provide technical backstopping for the integrated agro food parks and the agri-business parks that GreenPort plans to establish.
On the other hand, GreenPort will contribute Rs 2 crore for NutriPlus besides becoming a core member of the knowledge centre.
Yes Bank will also sign an MoU to become the knowledge partner of NutriPlus. It plans to establish agri-business consulting division at the centre.