An awareness cum training programme on “Cottage Level Food Processing Entrepreneurship Development for Farmers” of Goa was conducted on 4^th November, 2011 at ICAR Research Complex for Goa in collaboration with Indian Institute for Crop Processing Technology, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. About 67 farmers mostly women participated in the training programme.

In the Welcome address, Dr. N. P. Singh, Director, ICAR Research Complex for Goa highlighted the importance of farm level value addition and cottage level food processing in Goa to mitigate the post harvest losses in food, vegetable and fruit crops and to bridge the gap between the price paid by the consumers for processed foods and the farmers’ earnings.

Sh. A. Amudhasurabhi, the coordinator from IICPT, Thanjavur gave a brief introduction about the role of IICPT in creating awareness about value addition and food processing and the objectives of the training.

Dr. Mathala Juliet Gupta, training coordinator, ICAR Research Complex for Goa, invited all the participants with a brief description about the training programme.

In the technical session, scientists ICAR Research Complex for Goa, Goa, technical officer Ms. Sheela Chauhan form Directorate of Groundnut, Junagadh, Gujarat and Deputy General Manager , NABARD, Goa, Sh. S.S. Negi delivered talks on the post harvest handling and processing of food crops specific to Goa, Storage and handling of agricultural commodities and waste minimization including cold storage and other modern storage and handling systems, concepts of value addition and novel product development, Food business and Supply chain management, Role of Government agencies and banks in Food Enterprise Development. Over sixty seven farmers from across the state and officers from the state Directorate of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry & veterinary and various banks of Goa participated in the programme.

There was an open interaction session between the farmers and officers from State Directorate of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry and veterinary and various banks of Goa. The farmers were enlightened about the finance opportunities and schemes provided by various State Directorates and Banks. 

Sh. Gurudas Bhakta, Secretary of the Goa Olympic Association, presided as chief guest of the valedictory and distributed the certificates to the participant trainees. In his address he congratulated ICAR Research Complex for Goa for the organizing such a training programme to create awareness among the farmers about processing and value addition but added that the procedures for loan and various schemes to farmers should be simplified for the benefits to be realized by the farmers. Dr. N.P. Singh, Director, ICAR Research Complex for Goa, Goa hoped that the awareness created by the training programme will accelerate farm value addition and processing of fruits and vegetable crops in Goa and also insisted that more awareness about the State level schemes and bank loans be created among farmers. Dr. Mathala Juliet Gupta, Scientist (Agricultural Structures and Process Engineering) and the coordinator of the training programme proposed vote of thanks.