A three-day “Global Symposium on Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Foods: Opportunities for R&D, Entrepreneurship and Markets” was organized by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in association with ASSOCOM India and with support from the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India.
Consumer trends
With shifting consumer trends and changing eating patterns worldwide, the meet sought to promote RTE foods to a wider market through the transfer of technologies to entrepreneurs.
It also addressed various food challenges such as meeting the demands for innovative, healthy and safe meal solutions for a busy lifestyle.
The role of micro, small- and medium-scale enterprises was highlighted as vital in improving people's livelihood opportunities and increasing their participation in the agro-food industry.
Food safety
Tackling the issue of food safety in the Indian food industry, Mr. P.I. Suvrathan, Chairperson, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), spoke on the new Food Safety and Standards Act and how it “shall revolutionize the way food safety is perceived by the food industry and the consumers alike, in India.”
He stressed that safety of foods is the primary responsibility of the food business operators. “This global symposium on ready-to-eat foods is a step towards exploring new markets and creating demand for a wider diversity of higher-value foodstuffs and in reducing poverty by fostering agro-enterprises,” said ICRISAT Director General William Dar.
Goals
The goals of the symposium, he added, are consistent with the Institute's Inclusive Market-Oriented Development or IMOD strategy which focuses on helping the farming poor to access markets to increase their food supplies and incomes.
Innovation platform
Mr. Dave Hoisington, ICRISAT Deputy Director General (Research), expounded on the Institute's Agribusiness and Innovation Platform (AIP) where inclusive growth and innovation is the key.
He pointed out that NutriPlus Knowledge Program, one of the three components of AIP, aims to engage with the public sector, the private sector food industry, and advanced food research institutes to promote the cause of smallholder farmers of the semi-arid tropics.
