Agri-Business Incubation (ABI) Centre has been established at ICAR-NRCP, Guwahati to support operations on business projects as a measure of enhancing the foundation for new technology based industries. Agri Businesses Incubation Centre is envisaged to provide the necessary support for validation and up-scaling of technologies and encourage their reach to the user as an attractive business proposition. ABI centre is expected to facilitate innovator and researchers to turn their ideas into commercial venture. The centre will focus on incubation and business development programme, including entrepreneurship skill development activities.

The ABI Centre at ICAR-NRCP focuses on finding new ways of doing business in commercial piggery; allied service sectors and value addition in pork by finding doors to unexplored markets. The Centre is intended to help prospective entrepreneurs, by providing pro-active and value-added business support in terms of technical consultancy, infrastructure facility, experts’ guidance and training to develop technology based business ideas and establish sustainable enterprises. It will act as a platform for the speedy commercialization of the ICAR technologies, through an interfacing and networking mechanism between research institutions, industries and financial institutions. The Incubator at ICAR-NRCP differs from traditional Business Incubators as it is tailored specifically for technology based industries and is operational at an area with a high concentration of pig/pork production and consumption. This industry-specific incubator also allows new firms to tap into local knowledge and business networks that are already in place. ABI centre on ICAR-NRCP offers its services to industries not only in Guwahati, but also all over India through virtual incubation. Beyond promoting business growth, the Centre aims to bring its benefits to all the commercial piggery/ allied services/pork processing/ quality control sectors in India.

For ICAR-NRCP, Agri-startups means business and the institute will navigate the incubatees to sail across the tides of uncertainties by offering plethora of benefits viz. capacity building programmes, modern laboratory facilities, focused group mentoring, regulatory and advisory guide, intellectual property management, furnished infrastructure etc. All the services rendered by ABI to clients/incubatees will be chargeable and rendered on payment basis by the institute. The modalities will be finalized through mutual discussions and MoUs will be signed accordingly. The MOUs will be initially signed for two years period from the date of signing of both parties. On expiry of the agreement and depending on the need, the Institute and the party may enter into the contract for another term by signing fresh MOU. More detailed guidelines on technology commercialization can be found in the link: http://www.icar.org.in/files/ICAR-GuidelinesIPM&T-2014.pdf.

Selected areas considered by ICAR-NRCP for ABI activities

1.Support in establishing commercial pig breeding farms.
2.Support in establishing allied service sector(s) viz. Artificial Insemination support/feed mixing and distribution units/health support etc. for promoting commercial piggery in the country.
3.Support in establishing pork processing units and undertaking brand building activities.
4.Undertaking commercial Quality testing activities for different food commodities, with more emphasis on pork and pork products.
5.Any other mutually agreeable area(s).

Process flow of finalization of Applications

1. Receipt of duly filled in application from the interested stakeholders along with the relevant documents and application fee (Rs.1000/-, Non-refundable)
2. Screening of received applications
3. Inviting the party for one-to-one interaction/ meeting, to understand the business plan and to assess the appropriateness of the business plan with the mandate of the institute.
4. Decision on Admission/Rejection of the application in the ABI unit.
5. Signing of MoU with admitted firms/individuals
6. Execution of MoU

Annexure 1: ABI Application Form

Governing Council of ABI unit at ICAR-NRCP

Dr. Vivek Kumar Gupta, Director, ICAR-NRCP	Chairman
Dr. Mohan N.H., Principal Scientist, ICAR-NRCP	Member
Dr. P.J. Das, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NRCP	Member
Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Principal Scientist, ATARI Zone VI, Guwahati	External Member
Shri. Utpal Ghosh, F&AO, ICAR-NRCP	Member
Shri. Uttam Prakash, AAO, ICAR-NRCP	Member
Dr. R. Thomas, Senior Scientist and PI, ABI	Member Secretary

Payment of fee

Application fee (Rs.1000/-, Non-refundable) as well as incubation fee (as applicable depending on the incubation and technology supports) need to be deposited at ICAR-NRC on Pig either in the form of Demand Draft in favour of 'Director, ICAR-NRC on Pig' and payable at 'Guwahati' or via net banking to ICAR-NRCP bank account (Account Number: 10029420452, State Bank of India, Khanapara Branch, IFS Code: SBIN0009945) and submit the printout of the transaction.

Contact Address
Dr. R. Thomas
Senior Scientist & Principal Investigator, ABI
ICAR-NRC on Pig, Rani, Guwahati-781131, Assam.

Email: abiicarnrcp@gmail.com; nrconpig@rediffmail.com
Mobile: 9101871235
Fax: 0361-2847195