Hyderabad: BIPA signs MoUs with MANAGE & PJTSAU

Hyderabad: The Bio Agri Input Producers' Association (BIPA), Hyderabad, signed two MoUs with the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) and Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University(PJTSAU). The MOUs were signed at a function held on Saturday night here.

The MoU with MANAGE was signed and exchanged between Dr KRK Reddy, president of the association and Dr P. Chandra Shekara, Director-General, MANAGE. The other MoU with PJTSAU was signed by Dr Reddy on behalf of BIPA and Dr S Sudheer Kumar, registrar, on behalf of PJTSAU and exchanged by Dr Reddy and Dr V Praveen Rao, Vice-Chancellor, PJTSAU.

The two MoUs are to carry out bio-efficacy trials and other studies required for regulatory purposes as well as collaborative research and extension. These will be mutually beneficial for students, faculty for exchange, collaboration, and utilisation of in house R&D for mutual benefit.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Reddy said the objective of BIPA was to integrate Indian Industry and give its due recognition. The action points after signing MoUs will be extension, collaboration, research and trials. Dr Chandra Shekara said MANAGE has been appointed by the ministry as the nodal agency to promote natural farming.

"Though there are no package practices readily available for natural farming, we will look at community validated practices, screen and validate them. We will mobilise scientific evidence and prepare ground for natural farming to grow," he said, highlighting various opportunities which BIPA can encash from MANAGE, such as talent pool of agri business management alumni, agri trained youth, micro enterprises, trained input dealers and agri start-ups. All these platforms and the talent pool is open to BIPA, he added.

Dr Praveen Rao said it was first time PJTSAU signed an MoU with an industrial body. He said no individual can address the challenges faced by the industry. It has to be done with collaboration and partnership. "Let us come together and address common challenges of the industry of which we all are a part", he said, adding that collaboration between industry and academia is key to catalyse innovation and growth in technology, Dr Venkatesh Devanur, secretary, BIPA said.

The MoUs would help both the organisations to have cooperation, collaborate on research and exchange of students and help society at large. It is a win-win for all, said Dr Reddy.