Srinagar, May 4: Deputy Managing Director (DMD), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Dr AK Sood, Monday visited Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar campus to conducted a review of the Rural Business Incubation Centre (RBIC).
The visit was aimed to assess the progress of infrastructure creation under RBIC for fostering agri-business and rural entrepreneurship across the region. RBIC at SKUAST-K has been created with the support and funding of NABARD to foster rural entrepreneurship in Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
At the outset of the visit, Dr Sood held a meeting with Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, who detailed the university’s approach for modernising agriculture with the help of new age technologies.
Prof Ganai briefed the visiting dignitary about the RBIC’s hub and spoke model with Shalimar campus acting as a central hub, while the university’s specialized technical units, including the dairy processing facility, biofertilizer production centre, fur processing unit, and mushroom production wing, serve as practical spokes that provide incubatees with essential support. Dr Sood lauded these efforts, noting that the integration of academic facilities with business incubation is vital for advancing the agriculture sector and modernising the technological landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. He offered full support from NABARD for further strengthening the incubation framework to ensure the long-term success of the startup ecosystem.
The occasion was marked by the official release of Ruralpreneur, the inaugural newsletter of the RBIC. Launched jointly by Dr Sood and Prof Ganai, the publication provides a detailed account of the centre’s achievements over its first six months, highlighting the growth of its startup portfolio and its impact on rural communities. Following the launch, Dr. Sood was accompanied by a senior delegation from NABARD, including General Manager and Office Incharge for J&K Vikas Mittal, Deputy General Manager Surrinder Singh, and Assistant General Manager Kanav Sharma, for an interactive session with the RBIC management team at the Discovery Building.
During this session, Dr Jameel Ahmad Khan, CEO of RBIC, delivered a presentation on the centre’s operational pipeline and its extensive outreach activities. Prof Haroon Naik emphasized the RBIC’s mission to extend its reach into the most remote areas of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh to identify untapped talent. He also shared insights into future infrastructure plans, specifically the development of a dedicated Techno Park aimed at providing world-class facilities for emerging ventures. The visit concluded with a tour of the Innovation Building, where Dr Sood inspected the newly developed co-working pods, conference halls, and dedicated offices designed to provide a professional environment for the region's next generation of agri-entrepreneurs.
