The programme was formally launched by Dr Ashwathnarayan CN, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), India’s premier biosciences technology and innovation hub, has announced the first nationwide call for Agriculture Grand Challenges under its K-Tech Centre for Excellence for Agri Innovation. The programme which is supported by the Government of Karnataka was launched formally by Dr Ashwathnarayan CN, Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka at C-CAMP premises.
The launch event also saw the formalising of Indo Israel Innovation Bridge, a C-CAMP collaboration with the Consulate General of Israel to South India to drive deep science-driven entrepreneurship in Indian and Israel ecosystems with a Karnataka focus, the unveiling of C-CAMP COVID-19 Innovations Compendium and the official hand-over of a C-CAMP supported indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine cold chain technology to the state government.
Welcoming these four crucial announcements and stressing upon the need for agri innovation, Dr Ashwathnarayan said, “I congratulate C-CCAMP on the occasion of the launch Agriculture Grand Challenge, Indo Israel Innovation Bridge, COVID vaccine carrier technology as well as the unveiling of the C-CAMP COVID-19 innovation compendium. We need to take Agri-tech more seriously. Even though we are recognised as an agrarian economy, progress has largely stalled for want of a new revolution. To see better living standards, a better economy and a better future for our country, we need to probe agriculture and biotechnology together. The C-CAMP Agriculture Grand Challenges is a road we must take for securing our future.”
He added, “Collaboration and integration is the way forward. From Karnataka, I promise to support and close collaboration from all departments such as education, health to see that technologies developed at C-CAMP are passed on to the people.”
Dr Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO and Director, C-CAMP said, “In agriculture, identifying gaps on ground, articulating and creating focussed problem statements are very crucial. The Centre of excellence in Agri-tech innovations supported by the IT-BT department in collaboration with the Agriculture Department in Govt of Karnataka has identified over 100 problems from which we are launching this Grand Challenge for the top three statements. The impact is not just for Karnataka but for entire India.”
Dr Jonathan Zadka, Consul General of Israel to South India, Bengaluru said, “We are proud in establishing cooperation by building an ’Innovation Bridge’ between Israel and India, bringing closer together the startups ecosystems in life sciences and agritech of both countries. The potential of this initiative is enormous, and it has already generated tangible cooperation between startups from Israel and India. By doing so we will be consolidating existing islands of excellence spread across the two nations to create a collaborative environment for cutting-edge R&D. We look forward to supporting the Government of Karnataka to build this bridge of innovation. This new initiative will further strengthen the links between Israel and India.”
