The Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM), Pune, has taken up a new capacity-building initiative for Armed Forces personnel by hosting the DGR Resettlement Training Programme on “Innovations and Agribusiness Management”.
Organised jointly by the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR), Ministry of Defence, and VAMNICOM, the programme aims to equip retiring and transitioning personnel with practical knowledge and managerial skills to explore entrepreneurship, self-employment and livelihood opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors.
The programme, being conducted from September 28 to November 20, brings together 52 officers from the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.
Brigadier Ranjan Keron, ADG South, DGR, Ministry of Defence, inaugurated the programme and urged the participating officers to make effective use of the knowledge and skills acquired during the training. He stressed that the real value of the programme would lie in applying the learning to future professional, entrepreneurial and livelihood opportunities.
VAMNICOM Director Dr. Suva Kanta Mohanty highlighted the potential of small-scale entrepreneurial ventures to generate sustainable income when properly planned and managed. Drawing from the cooperative sector, he underlined how innovation, collective efforts and small initiatives can create wider economic benefits and contribute to community development.
The institute’s focus goes beyond classroom exposure, with the programme designed to provide participants practical insights into identifying business opportunities, managing value chains and developing viable ventures. Course Coordinator Dr. Amit Borkar emphasised the importance of agribusiness and value-chain management, particularly in assessing opportunities and converting them into sustainable enterprises.
The curriculum covers a broad spectrum of agriculture and allied activities, including agribusiness opportunities, agricultural finance, government schemes, food processing, dairy, poultry, fisheries, mushroom cultivation, floriculture and apiculture. Participants are also being exposed to marketing, project preparation, financial management and entrepreneurship.
The initiative underlines VAMNICOM’s expanding role as a specialised institution for management and capacity building, using its expertise in cooperatives, agribusiness and entrepreneurship to address livelihood and enterprise-development needs beyond the conventional cooperative sector.
The institute is also involving its first-year PGDM-ABM students in the programme. Students Bhagirathi M and Sidharth Singh anchored the inaugural session, reflecting VAMNICOM’s effort to provide practical exposure to its students while contributing to the smooth conduct of the training.
Dr. Sudam Adlinge, Registrar, VAMNICOM, delivered the vote of thanks at the inaugural session. Dr. Arvind Darshna, Assistant Professor and Co-Coordinator, and other faculty members were also associated with the programme.
The initiative is expected to help Armed Forces personnel understand emerging opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors while developing the managerial, financial and entrepreneurial capabilities required to establish viable ventures after service.
