Institutional Innovations for Management and Commercialisation of Fishery Technologies in India - A Case Study

Abstract

India is a country with unique market dynamics and high entrepreneurial spirit. During recent years, the country’s industry sector is dominated by innovation led business enterprises that are found to achieve high profits within a short span of time. This paradigm shift is mainly influenced by the significant role played by technology-based business incubation support systems and expert mentorship programmes. It is observed that start-up companies emerging from these incubators are becoming machines of rapid and tremendous growth. In support of this growing trend and with the aim of laying the foundation for innovation-based businesses and knowledge-driven economy in agricultural sector, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) –an apex public research organization in India, established a network of Agri-business incubation (ABI) Centres linking its R&D Institutes across the country. Through this initiative ICAR brought into place novel policies and programmes, to maximize technology commercialization, establish public private partnerships and handhold entrepreneurs. This paper portrait the activities of such an ABI Centre attached to ICAR -Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, and presents an overview of the new systems of business incubation and support services to entrepreneurs. The clients registered at the ABI Centre are given necessary guidance to choose a suitable technology with the help of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and given an opportunity to commence business operations using the semi-commercial pilot plant facilities attached to the institute. A case study of a client who adopted the ICAR-CIFT technology for ‘Hybrid Solar Dryer’ is also included in this paper.