The Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kitco Ltd. in an effort to promote entrepreneurship jointly.
A press release said that the MoU was signed on Tuesday on the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) campus here between IISR Director M. Anandaraj and Kitco Managing Director Cyriac Davies.
Kitco recently launched its incubation initiative aimed at incubation, mentoring, and handholding of innovators. The IISR is planning to provide pre-incubation training and market potential studies to aspiring entrepreneurs through Kitco.
They will also cooperate to commercialise lab-level technologies and to transfer technologies developed in IISR to emerging and promising start-ups.
They will also help start-ups transform into successful business ventures.
The ICAR-IISR has established an incubation centre for spices at its experimental farm in Peruvannamuzhi with facilities for cleaning and grading black pepper and white pepper and curry powder production units.
The institute provides consultancy and training services in spice research such as production technology, integrated nutrient management, insect and pest management, biological control of diseases, tissue culture, and post-harvest technology.