Meerut Udyami Foundation (MUF) stands out as a unique agri-business incubator situated in Uttar Pradesh-West to nurture agripreneurs. Its primary focus lies in advancing the socio-economic status of farmers and agripreneurs, who serve as the backbone of the economy. The foundation offers comprehensive support to various entities, including Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self-help Groups, agripreneurs, and entrepreneurs in related fields. This support aims to equip these individuals and groups with specific traits and skills, enabling them to harness opportunities in food technology, environment, agriculture, and other associated branches.
MUF has established partnerships with over 15 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), engaged with more than 10,000 farmers, collaborated with 650 Self-Help Groups (SHGs), supported over 10 women entrepreneurs, formed alliances with over 5 government entities, and connected with 50 agricultural startups and innovators.
In a recent discussion with The Interview World, Dr. Madhuri Gupta, the CEO of Meerut Udyami Foundation, sheds light on the pivotal role her incubator plays in driving agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship. The following are key insights from her interview.
Q: What’s the role of the Meerut Udyami Foundation in the agribusiness sector?
A: The Meerut Udyami Foundation, situated at the Meerut Institute of Technology, functions as an agribusiness incubator. Within this incubator, we provide support to various entities, including Farmer Producer Organizations, Self-help Groups, farmers, and agritech startups, along with their related sectors. Our primary focus is on establishing a comprehensive ecosystem in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
In this endeavor, we actively engage the student body of the institute, harnessing their skills and enthusiasm. The region is renowned as a significant agricultural hub, making it imperative for us to guide and support local farmers. Recognizing Meerut as a pivotal area for agriculture, we are committed to nurturing and assisting individuals and groups associated with the sector.
Our efforts extend to self-help groups, particularly those comprised of women, aiming to empower them as entrepreneurs in the future. Despite existing perceptions, these groups need to shift their mindset from viewing themselves solely as rural women to becoming successful entrepreneurs. Aligning with the vision of our Prime Minister, we strive to redefine roles and possibilities for these women.
Similar initiatives are taken with women’s self-help groups, challenging preconceived notions about their activities being limited to agricultural practices. We are working towards broadening their perspective, encouraging them to see themselves as entrepreneurs rather than just practitioners of agriculture. This transformative approach is part of our strategy to bridge the gap between technology-driven startups and traditional agricultural practices.
We foster collaboration among startups employing technological interventions and the diverse entities engaged in agriculture, including FPOs and individual farmers. This comprehensive approach is instrumental in creating a well-rounded and supportive agribusiness ecosystem in Meerut.
Q: What kind of ecosystem are you providing?
A: Our primary offering is mentoring support, a crucial resource for both startups and FPOs. We provide tailored skill development training to meet their specific needs. For instance, if a farmer, producer, or organization lacks knowledge about food processing, we guide them through the processing steps, offering hands-on training.
This creates a vital connection between startups and those seeking support in this sector. After providing mentorship, we facilitate access to necessary machinery, sourcing it from government initiatives, private channels, and CSR funds. Our goal is to streamline all these resources onto a unified platform, ensuring alignment among farms, farmers, vendors, traders, and startups. In essence, we bridge the gap, offering comprehensive support for the entire agricultural value chain.
Q: Are you also enabling them to connect with the market?
A: Certainly! We employ a comprehensive marketing approach, encompassing both digital and physical strategies. Notably, our efforts extend to participation in various exhibitions, such as the recent Atmanirbhar Bharat Utsav at Pragati Maidan. Through our incubation center, we secured stalls for one of our FPOs, enhancing their visibility.
Furthermore, our commitment to promoting our FPOs extends to upcoming events like Indus Food 2024 in Greater Noida. In this regard, we have facilitated their presence with dedicated stalls, strategically positioning them to maximize exposure.
In addition to physical avenues, we leverage the power of digital platforms to showcase our FPOs. Through targeted advertisements, we amplify their reach on prominent platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. This multifaceted approach ensures a comprehensive and impactful marketing strategy for our partners.
Q: Are you making them market-ready as well?
A: Absolutely, we are preparing them for the market. This involves not only readying their businesses but also ensuring that their products are market-ready. A significant challenge lies in the packaging of products from FPOs and self-help groups. Consequently, we are educating them on both market requirements and the specific needs of their products for an extended shelf life.
29 Comments
Enjoyed looking at this, very good stuff, thanks.
Real instructive and excellent bodily structure of subject matter, now that’s user pleasant (:.
Saved as a favorite, I really like your blog!
Hello.This article was extremely motivating, especially since I was investigating for thoughts on this subject last Monday.
You are my aspiration, I have few blogs and infrequently run out from brand :). “Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.” by W. Somerset Maugham.
Hi my family member! I wish to say that this post is awesome, nice written and come with approximately all significant infos. I would like to see extra posts like this.
Hi there would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different web browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most. Can you recommend a good web hosting provider at a fair price? Thank you, I appreciate it!
Sweet web site, super design and style, real clean and utilise friendly.
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive learn something like this before. So nice to find somebody with some unique thoughts on this subject. realy thank you for beginning this up. this web site is one thing that’s needed on the net, somebody with somewhat originality. helpful job for bringing something new to the internet!
It is in point of fact a great and helpful piece of information. I am glad that you just shared this useful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Glad to be one of the visitors on this awful website : D.
You are a very smart person!
I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this web site. I’m hoping the same high-grade site post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own web site now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a good example of it.
I think other web-site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and fantastic user friendly style and design, as well as the content. You’re an expert in this topic!
It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group? There’s a lot of folks that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thanks
You have brought up a very fantastic points, regards for the post.
Wonderful blog! Do you have any tips and hints for aspiring writers? I’m hoping to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m completely confused .. Any recommendations? Kudos!
Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your site is so cool. I’m impressed by the details that you’ve on this website. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for more articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found just the info I already searched all over the place and just couldn’t come across. What a great site.
Some truly nice and useful info on this internet site, also I think the design and style holds great features.
Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!
Today, I went to the beach front with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
Great site you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any forums that cover the same topics talked about here? I’d really love to be a part of online community where I can get advice from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Appreciate it!
Having read this I thought it was very informative. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this article together. I once again find myself spending way to much time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!
I admire your work, regards for all the interesting blog posts.
Hello! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the superb work!
Way cool, some valid points! I appreciate you making this article available, the rest of the site is also high quality. Have a fun.
I have been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or weblog posts on this kind of space . Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i am happy to express that I have an incredibly good uncanny feeling I came upon exactly what I needed. I so much unquestionably will make certain to don’t put out of your mind this site and provides it a look on a constant basis.
It¦s in reality a great and helpful piece of information. I¦m happy that you shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.