The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, PMO, Atomic Energy, Space and Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh recently inaugurated the new complex of India’s First Biomanufacturing Institute-BRIC-National Agri-Food Bio-manufacturing Institute (BRIC-NABI) at Mohali, Punjab.
This project aims to transform the agri-food sector through advanced biotechnology, fostering innovation in agriculture, generating new employment opportunities and promoting environmental sustainability. This initiative aligns with the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” or “Developed India.”
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Key Features of BRIC-NABI-
- Sustainable Farming Through Biotechnology: The project focuses on developing high-yield, disease-resistant crops, biofertilisers, and biopesticides to promote sustainable farming and enhance agricultural productivity.
- BioNest Incubation Centre: The BioNest Incubation Centre supports startups in the agriculture, food and bioprocessing sectors by fostering innovation and facilitating industry partnerships. It also plays a key role in driving the commercialisation of agri-food innovations.
- Research and Development to Modernise Agriculture: It bridges the gap between research and development and market-ready products, supporting pilot-scale production. It also aims to shift India from traditional production methods to advanced synthetic production techniques.
Future Impacts of The Project-
- Doubling Farmer’s Income: The developments at BRIC-NABI align with the government’s goal of doubling farmers’ income by promoting sustainable agriculture practices and enhancing agricultural productivity.
- Promoting Self-Reliance: It encourages private sector investment through the ‘Make in India’ initiative, driving job creation and fostering industrial growth, to make India self-reliant.
- Global Leadership in Biotechnology: With BRIC-NABI and policies like BioE3, India aims to become a global leader in sustainable biomanufacturing.
Biomanufacturing Workshop-
A biomanufacturing workshop ‘workshop 1.0’ is scheduled for December 2024. This event will explore the applications of biomanufacturing across agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals and energy sectors, offering insights into innovative techniques that harness biological systems for sustainable production.
FAQs-
BioE3 Policy refers to Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment for fostering high-performance biomanufacturing.
Biotechnology is a wide range of technologies that employ living organisms or their components to make diverse products.
The word biotechnology was used first in 1919 by Karl Ereky.
Biomanufacturing, also known as bioprocessing, is a type of manufacturing in which we use biological systems (living organisms) to create biomolecules and other products.