Key facts
- Seventeen agroecology enterprises from Northeast India participated in an initiative to connect with investors and stakeholders.
- The initiative is part of the Investments in Agroecology Value Chains Project (IAVCP), funded by Germany through IFAD.
- IAVCP has a total investment of EUR 16.7 million and aims to support at least 15,000 small-scale producers and rural enterprises.
- Examples of enterprises include those creating fish feed from agricultural waste and bamboo-based injection moulding granules.
- Officials emphasized the need for improved infrastructure, finance, and market access to support the region's agri-business potential.
Seventeen agroecology enterprises from five Northeast Indian states gathered to connect with potential investors and stakeholders as part of the Investments in Agroecology Value Chains Project (IAVCP). The initiative, funded by the German government through the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with EUR 16.7 million, aims to support at least 15,000 small-scale producers and rural enterprises.
These enterprises are developing innovative solutions, such as transforming agricultural waste into fish feed and creating bamboo-based alternatives to plastic. Dr. Jeevan B, Secretary of Assam's Department of Innovation, Incubation and Start-Ups, highlighted the region's agricultural dependence and the need for robust structures to link enterprises to value chains, finance, technology, and investors.
IFAD convened a working group session with representatives from the Government of Assam, NABARD, GIZ, and leading incubators to address the challenges faced by agri-entrepreneurs in the region. IFAD Country Director Marc de Sousa-Shields emphasized that while the Northeast has desirable products, it lacks the systems to bring them to global markets, stressing the need for resilient infrastructure and reliable access to finance and markets.