Agrinnovate India Ltd., the agribusiness, innovation, technology commercialisation and CSR fund-mobilising arm of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), facilitated three industry partnerships aimed at supporting public-benefit initiatives in agriculture and allied sectors.
The Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between ICAR and Pidilite Industries Ltd., Venkateshwara Hatcheries Pvt. Ltd. and Everest Instruments Pvt. Ltd. on September 24, 2026, in New Delhi, on the occasion of the 15th Annual General Meeting and 71st Board Meeting of Agrinnovate India.
The partnerships are designed to leverage corporate social responsibility (CSR) support from industry for initiatives that can contribute to agricultural development and benefit farmers and rural communities.
The collaborations cover a wide range of areas, including sustainable agri-food systems, climate-resilient agriculture and natural resource management, livelihood enhancement and technology transfer, women and youth empowerment, agri-startups, incubation and rural entrepreneurship.
The partnerships will also focus on digital innovation and capacity building, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, biofortification, food processing and value-chain development. Farm mechanisation, education and knowledge partnerships and the One Health approach are among the other areas identified for collaboration, along with additional fields that may be mutually agreed upon by the partners.
The event was attended by Dr M. L. Jat, Director General, ICAR and Chairman of Agrinnovate India; Gyanendra Tripathi, Secretary, ICAR and Vice-Chairman, Agrinnovate India; Sandeep Sarkar, Financial Advisor, ICAR; Dr Praveen Malik, Chief Executive Officer, Agrinnovate India; members of the company’s Board of Directors, its team and senior ICAR officials.
The development assumes significance as Agrinnovate India seeks to connect ICAR’s research, innovation and technological capabilities with industry resources and CSR funding for wider public benefit. The company functions as ICAR’s dedicated arm for agribusiness, innovation, technology commercialisation and mobilisation of CSR funds.
The three MoUs thus bring together India’s agricultural research ecosystem and private-sector resources across areas ranging from climate resilience and natural resource management to entrepreneurship, mechanisation, nutrition and digital technologies. The partnerships are expected to provide a framework for supporting initiatives in agriculture and allied sectors through industry-backed interventions and technology-oriented programmes.
By bringing industry partners into collaboration with ICAR, Agrinnovate India is also positioning CSR support as a channel for taking agricultural technologies and innovations towards practical applications in the field, while addressing emerging challenges related to sustainability, livelihoods, food and nutrition, and rural enterprise.
The agreements cover both conventional agricultural priorities and newer areas such as agri-startups, incubation, digital innovation, biofortification and climate-resilient farming, reflecting the broadening scope of partnerships between agricultural research institutions and industry.
The MoUs were facilitated by Agrinnovate India as part of its mandate to promote the commercialisation and wider application of ICAR innovations while mobilising resources for initiatives serving agriculture and allied sectors.
