In sync with the Union government’s Skill India efforts, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) has now teamed up with the JSS College of Arts, Commerce & Science, Mysuru, to train candidates in food processing.
The move follows the recent survey highlights on inadequate access to skilled manpower in the food processing industry. The training is required in the areas of applied research, capacity building, training and institutional networking.
“We have been extensively involved in human resource development and skill upgradation in the area of post-harvest technology for more than six decades. These include the post-graduate programmes such as M.Sc. (food technology), certificate course in milling technology, doctoral programmes and short-term courses for supporting the continuous education. Also EDP, workshop and awareness programmes are conducted to help farmers and entrepreneurial community across the country. It has trained manpower in abundance and the state-of-art facilities for conducting industrial research in the area of food processing,” said Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, director, CSIR-CFTRI.
“Now we will support the academic programmes of JSS College of Arts, Commerce and Science, Mysore, in the area of food processing. Both the institutions entered into an MoU for strengthening the B.Voc and M.Voc programmes of the JSS College supported by ministry of human resource development in the area of food processing,” he added.
Now CSIR-CFTRI will organise customised courses in the advanced areas of food research for supporting the B.Voc and M.Voc programmes of JSS College at a subsidised course fee. The scientists will get associated with these programmes and also provide knowledge-based support to the academic programmes.
There have been a slew of pacts signed by CSIR-CFTRI. These include the collaboration with the Karnataka government to establish a Nutra-Phyto Incubation Centre & Common Instrumentation Facility (NPIC-CIF) to promote the nutraceuticals industry in the country. In addition, MoUs are operational with World Food Programme (WFP), New Delhi, for a multi-faceted collaboration to address hunger and malnutrition through government-based social safety nets and with Government of Kerala for supporting the food safety initiatives of the state.
Furthermore, there are partnerships with other academic entities. They include University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences (UAHS), Shimoga, for supporting research and pre-harvest studies; Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mysore chapter, for helping the local food industry; The American College, Madurai, for academic cooperation; JSS Medical College (Mysore), Mysore Medical College (Mysore), Manipal University, AIMS (Adichunchangiri) for conducting an Integrated M.Sc. and Ph. D Course in Molecular Nutrition at CSIR-CFTRI; Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT), Thanjavur, for collaborating on advanced R&D problems; and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Kakinada, for conducting a study on food processing industry; and so on.
The teaming up with JSS Mysuru would enable creation of quality manpower and skillsets for the food processing sector which would benefit the industry in the long-run, according to Prof. Rajasekharan.
