SKUAST-Jammu hosted an Industry–Startup Outreach Programme under the Jammu & Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement of Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP), aiming to strengthen ties between academia, government, finance and industry to accelerate agri-startups and enterprise development across the Union Territory. The event was inaugurated by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and attended by senior officials, industry leaders, researchers and farmer representatives.
Strengthening industry–academia–startup linkages
The programme convened a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including SKUAST-Jammu Vice-Chancellor Prof. B.N. Tripathi, JKCIP Mission Director Sandeep Kumar (IFS), officers from IIIM Jammu, IIT Jammu, IIM Jammu, representatives of J&K Bank, the District Industries Centre (DIC) Jammu, UTLBC, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), entrepreneurs and students.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo emphasised the urgency of robust institutional partnerships to reposition agriculture as an innovation-led, high-growth sector. He said collaboration between research bodies and private industry is essential to convert laboratory ideas into commercially viable products and scalable businesses.
From aggregation to enterprise-led growth
Dulloo urged FPOs to transition from mere aggregation units into enterprise-driven models focused on value addition—processing, packaging, branding and market access. He argued that moving up the value chain will raise farmer incomes and reduce dependence on raw-produce sales.
Outlining the pillars for startup success, he cited the “4 Cs”: Culture, Capacity Building, Commercialisation and Connectivity. According to Dulloo, these elements are vital to creating a resilient agricultural startup ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Chief Secretary also reiterated the administration’s commitment to improving the ease of doing business in agriculture, strengthening credit linkages with banks and financial institutions, and ensuring a supportive regulatory environment for emerging entrepreneurs.
Tapping untapped agricultural potential
Jammu & Kashmir has strengths in wool production, trout fisheries, floriculture, and medicinal and aromatic plants, but limited processing infrastructure has constrained value addition. Dulloo said initiatives such as the Industry–Startup Outreach Programme are designed to bridge these infrastructure and market gaps and unlock new economic opportunities for the region.
He noted that these collaborative efforts support broader national objectives of rural empowerment and economic transformation.
Universities as catalysts of innovation
Prof. B.N. Tripathi said universities must extend beyond teaching and research to actively nurture innovation and entrepreneurship. He described the outreach event as part of SKUAST-Jammu’s wider commitment to regional economic development.
Tripathi reported that the university has incubated more than 120 agri-related startup ideas, with over 32 startups receiving funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. He stressed that financial assistance must be complemented by mentorship, compliance support and structured commercialisation pathways to ensure sustainable growth.
He also highlighted plans to introduce industry-linked learning and appoint experienced professionals as Professors of Practice to narrow the gap between academia and industry.
Panel discussions on collaboration and financing
The programme included panel sessions with participants from industry, academia, financial institutions and startups. Discussions focused on improving access to finance, product validation, market integration and strengthening value chains for agri-enterprises.
Speakers underscored the need for mentorship, joint research projects and enhanced networking platforms to support long-term startup development in the agricultural sector.
Senior university officials said such outreach initiatives are building sustained partnerships that can transform Jammu & Kashmir’s agri-entrepreneurship landscape, empowering farmers, researchers and entrepreneurs and contributing to the Union Territory’s economic development.
