Location : ICRISAT, Patancheru, Telangana, India
Date : 2025-10-02 09:00:00
Deadline to apply for the course: 19 October 2026
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Organized by ICRISAT Center of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA)
Under the Aegis of Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program of Government of India
Small-scale food processing enterprises play a vital role in strengthening rural economies, reducing post-harvest losses, and generating local employment opportunities. With increasing consumer demand for safe, nutritious, and value-added food products, there is immense potential for women and youth to become successful agri-entrepreneurs in the food processing sector.
This course is designed to equip participants with the practical knowledge, technical skills, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to establish and manage small-scale food processing enterprises. It emphasizes value addition to locally available crops, fruits, and vegetables, along with training in modern processing methods, packaging, quality control, branding, and marketing.
By building the capacity of women and youth, the course aims to promote inclusive growth, enhance income opportunities, and strengthen rural food systems. It also encourages the formation of micro-enterprises and cooperatives, helping participants to move from primary production to profitable value addition and market linkages.
The training will further develop financial literacy, business planning, and enterprise management capabilities—essential components for transforming ideas into sustainable enterprises. Community-based organizations and young innovators will be encouraged to take leadership roles in local food enterprises, fostering entrepreneurship-led rural development.
Small-Scale Food Processing: Introduction, Landscape and Emerging Trends
Women and Youth as Agri-Food Entrepreneurs: Challenges and Opportunities
Food Processing Technologies and Value Addition for Local Crops and Millets
Food Safety, Hygiene and Quality Standards for Small-Scale Enterprises
New Product Development: From Farm Produce to Market-Ready Products
Setting Up and Managing a Small-Scale Food Processing Enterprise
Business Planning and Financial Literacy for Agri-Entrepreneurs
Rural Enterprise Ecosystems: Institutional Support, Cooperatives and Community-Based Business Models
Packaging, Labelling and Branding for Small-Scale Food Products
Digital Marketing, E-Commerce and AI Tools for Food SMEs
Cross-Border Trade for Food Products: Export-Import Basics, Certification and Market Access
Intellectual Property Rights, Technology Transfer and Licensing
Networking and Negotiation Skills for Food Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurial Journey: Interactions with Successful Small-Scale Food Processing Entrepreneurs from India
Field Visits to Food Processing Facilities and Agri-Business Incubators in Hyderabad
Participants, including women entrepreneurs, and youth, gain a clear understanding of opportunities in the food processing sector.
Women and youth learn the essential steps of establishing and managing small-scale food enterprises, from idea to market.
Improved knowledge in food processing, packaging, marketing, and quality standards to ensure competitiveness and profitability.
Strengthened linkages with key departments, technical experts, and financial institutions to facilitate enterprise growth.
Improved livelihoods, enhanced household incomes, and empowered women and youth as change agents for sustainable rural development.
Government officials, Field level functionaries in different departments - agriculture, women and child welfare, rural health ministries, agri-business, among others. Functionaries can be from countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Food science / food technology /business management / agriculture experts.
University degree in science, agriculture, horticulture, food processing ,business management, economics, social studies, etc.
2 to 3 Years of experience.
Create a login to apply for the course and furnish all the requisite information. Submit the application online and download the submitted application form
Take a printout of the submitted application form, get appropriate signatures at all the signature placeholders throughout the application form including the English proficiency certificate, medical report, candidate undertaking form and the Employer nomination form.
Scan the complete application document and submit the physical copies of the application form including the undertaking form and the employer nomination form to the Indian High commission in your country and e-mail the scanned copy of the executed application form to vishwambhar.duche@icrisat.org. with copy to babu.potta@icrisat.org.
Please note that we have very limited seats for the course and the eligible applications will be shortlisted by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India on First Come First Serve basis. Therefore, if you are interested, we recommend that you submit your application immediately without any delay.
In case you face any technical difficulties in applying for the course, such as portal issues, login issues or any website related errors, please screenshot the errors and email to vishwambhar.duche@icrisat.org with copy to babu.potta@icrisat.org.
Experiential learning and field visits
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The fully sponsored program is exclusive to non-Indian international participants only.
ITEC: Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation
Note: The potential candidate after filling the form online, may need to submit copy of the filled application to Indian Embassy/consulate in their country for funding approval.
The application can be accessed from the following link: Click here
Dr Padmaja Ravula
Principal Scientist & Cluster Leader
Dryland Academy and Gender and Youth Inclusion
Transforming Agrifood System
International Crops Research Institute for the
Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Email: padmaja.ravula@icrisat.org
Mr Srinivas Bollam
Manager – Agribusiness Incubator & BioNcube, Transforming Agrifood Systems
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Email: srinivas.bollam@icrisat.org
