Incubation Centre
30, Sep, 2024
Inaugurated at Vignan’s University
The "Tree Based Enterprise Incubation Centre (TBEIC)", jointly established by the Department of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Department of School of Agriculture and Food Technology, Vadlamudi Vignan’s University in Chebrolu mandal, jointly organised by USAID, SIFAR and World Agroforestry, was inaugurated on Monday. TegenFel Detmark, Director, USAID General Development Office in India, was the chief guest at the inauguration of the incubation centre and inaugurated the centre with a ribbon cut. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. P. Nagabhushan, Vice-Chancellor, Vignan University, said that the credit for starting a tree-based enterprise incubation centre in the two Telugu states goes to Vignan’s university. He also informed that the centre set up at Vignan is the second highest incubation centre in the country.
The main objective of the centre is to enhance the economic growth of the country as well as to influence the interests of the population, develop skills among the rural youth as well as businessmen and make it easier to meet the targets. With the help of this centre, we will be able to add as much value as possible to the wood procured from the farmers, add value to non-wood trees outside forest products and provide suitable facilities for interested amateur incubations. The programme aims to expand forests in seven states of the country (Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh) for livelihood and ecosystem purposes. Students interested in becoming entrepreneurs can develop skills and knowledge to run sustainable businesses while improving the local environment with the help of incubation centre.
The Tree-Based Enterprise Incubation Centre has been launched with the objective of promoting sustainable agroforestry practices in Andhra Pradesh. By promoting these centres, the centre will not only support the livelihood of the local communities but will also help in spreading trees outside the traditional forest areas. Such efforts are crucial in improving ecosystem services and building climate resilience in the state. Dr. Lavu Rathaiah, Chairman, Vignan’s Educational Institutions, who was also the chief guest at the event, said that if saplings are grown extensively even in the outside forest areas, it will improve the livelihood of the people and ecosystem services. He said that excessive felling of forests could lead to an increase in temperatures and increase global warming. We will not be able to bear the consequences of the result. Hence every student has also been called upon to plant greenery saplings in empty spaces. Students have also been advised to work towards ecological balance by growing saplings extensively even in the outer forest areas.
The event was attended by Tegenfel Detmark, Director, GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, USAID, India, Soumitri Das, Head, USAID Environment Team In India, Dr. Ravi Prabhu, Senior Advisor, ICRAF-Recommender, TOFI Programme Chief of Party Manoj Dabas, Chairman, Vignan’s Educational Institutions, Dr. Lavu Rattaiah, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. M.S. Deans, heads of departments, faculty and agricultural students participated in the meeting.