C-CAMP announces national-level Agriculture Grand Challenge jointly with Karnataka
BENGALURU:
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), the country’s premier biosciences technology and innovation hub, announced the first nationwide Agriculture Grand Challenge under K-Tech Centre of Excellence for Agri-Innovation, jointly supported by the state government’s Agriculture Department and the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, on Friday.
Launching the programme, DyCM CN Ashwath Narayan, who is also the Minister of IT/BT and S& T, said that through the Grand Challenge programme, C-CAMP and the government of Karnataka will promote the introduction of economically viable, problem-focused, deep-science and deep-technology driven entrepreneurship in the agri-sector.
This Grand Challenge aims to identify promising innovations to address key problems of Indian agriculture. For each winning innovation, C-CAMP will provide funding of up to ₹ 25 lakhs, incubation, mentorship & other startup support.@ITBTGoK @Startup_Kar @Ktech_biotech @KtechiH pic.twitter.com/syCTCWBYSK
— Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N. (@drashwathcn) July 23, 2021
Funding up to Rs 25 lakh
This Grand Challenge aims to identify promising innovations to address major problem areas of Indian agriculture. For each winning entry, start-up funding of up to Rs 25 lakh, incubation, mentorship and hand-holding will be provided by C-CAMP, Narayan said.
The occasion also witnessed the signing of an MoU on the ‘Indo-Israel Innovation Bridge’, which aims to bring together the star-up ecosystems of both countries in Life Sciences and Agritech.
Dr Zonathan Zadka, Consul General of Israel to South India, said, “The potential of the initiative is enormous and has already generated tangible cooperation between start-ups of the two countries. This will enable consolidation of existing islands of excellence spread across the two nations to create a collaborative environment for cutting-edge R&D.”
Hon'ble @drashwathcn & GoK dignitaries interacted with CCAMP startups who showcased their world-class innovations@CoeoLabs EquineBiotech Faunatech @yuktix @SensivisionHlth @IshieldIndia @ColorThreadsIn1 @bild_labs @Dipitrtech @DozeeHealth @CDLTweet @PredibleH Bugworks @biomoneta pic.twitter.com/kAyoprCEpN
— C-CAMP (@CCAMP_Bangalore) July 23, 2021
On the occasion, a C-CAMP assisted indigenously developed portable Covid-19 vaccine cold chain equipment was handed over to the state government.
Prof Satyajit Mayor, Director, NCBS, Prof Apurva Sarin, Director, InStem, Meena Nagaraj, Director, Dept of IT/BT and S&T, and others were present.
3 problem statements under Agri Grand Challenge-2021 are:
1) A quick, accurate and affordable PoC (Proof of Concept) method for testing a) macro/micronutrient density in soil and/or plant tissue, and b) soil microbial diversity.
2) A technology to enhance the shelf life of produce and minimization of post-harvest losses through chemical/biological/IR methods.
3) A technology for detection and treatment of white stem borer infestation in coffee crops.
