Chennai, 17 June (H.S.): In a significant move to boost Tamil Nadu's agriculture and food processing industries, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu Agri Business and Food Processing Export Corporation (TNAPEx).

This collaboration, formalized at the State Secretariat in the presence of Dr. Atul Anand, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME Department, aims to foster innovation, ensure sustainable rural development, and promote inclusive economic growth. IIT Madras, leveraging its multidisciplinary expertise, will focus on research, training, and technology-driven interventions to improve operational efficiency, marketability, and sustainability within the agri-business ecosystem.

Key areas of joint effort include skilling rural youth in agribusiness, optimizing supply chains to reduce food wastage, enhancing market access and export potential, improving packaging and branding, and evaluating government schemes for greater impact. This partnership is expected to connect rural micro-enterprises with global markets and significantly enhance the competitiveness of Tamil Nadu's food processing sector.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary