Today, consumers are inquisitive and are more knowledgeable about the items they buy and their nutritional value than ever before. They require in-depth details regarding the route taken by the food from the company to their residence. The market for agricultural testing was estimated at $5427 million in 2021 and is projected to increase at a CAGR of 5.67 percent between 2022 and 2030.
The market for agricultural testing is expanding rapidly as a result of rising concerns about food safety and environmental friendly practices for crop production. The need for testing services to determine the amount of contaminants present in agricultural products is being driven by additional causes such as expanding urbanization, growing demand for processed foods, change in consumers’ food preferences, rising awareness, and more degradation of agricultural resources like land and water. Looking at the growth of this sector, various private or public sectors came into being to offer the required services. National Agro Foundation (NAF) established in 2000 is one of its kind. The NGO’s initiatives include working with different stakeholders committed to serving the rural community with the scientific approach in agriculture.
Farmers and small entrepreneurs operating in this sector encounter a multitude of hurdles such as a lack of understanding regarding the initiation of a food business, potential safety hazards, unfamiliarity with best practices that uphold hygiene and food safety requirements, methods to enhance product quality, and various other obstacles.
“We at National Agro Foundation, focus on FPOs (Farmers Producer Organisation), MSMEs and Food Start Ups, provide testing services to them and make them aware about the safety hazards and best practices for maintaining the standards. If they want help in setting up a food business, we help them with the advisory for selection of suitable machinery for processing and packaging, product development and advise them about the know-how of the sector. Above all, we also provide them training to get better results. Overall, NAF can support the Food Business Operators (FBO) from R&D to testing to training as a single window system”, says Dr. Kalpana Rajesh, Head - R&D Centre, NAF.
The organization operates in a diverse range of sectors, with a primary focus on promoting sustainability. It focuses on the interconnections between education, economy, environment, and empowerment. The National Agro Foundation (NAF) operates within a diverse range of divisions, including the agricultural division, agri-business division, watershed division, training division, social development division, and research and development division, among others. The primary focus areas encompass the implementation of sustainable climate-smart agriculture, the establishment and growth of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), training and capacity building for the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, community mobilization, field-oriented research and development and various other related aspects.
NAF works in a diverse range of sectors, with a primary focus on promoting environmental sustainability & enriching rural lives
The National Agro Foundation (NAF) was established by C. Subramaniam, who was a visionary statesman, administrator, social thinker, public speaker, and author. According to him, improving people's quality of life comprehensively through various interventions in rural areas requires a scientific approach. Over time, the organization has built up its testing capabilities for food and agriculture testing through a combination of in-house efforts and stakeholders cooperation. It is associated with several organisations, including the Government agencies, corporates and academic institutions among others.
Future Roadmap
The organization has made significant progress since its establishment. The NGO's short-term goal is to modernize its testing infrastructure so that it can provide comprehensive Agriculture and Food Testing Services throughout India to meet the growing requirements for quality and safety. In the long run, people are turning to other emerging technologies like AI and data analytics to ensure the traceability of food goods. The NGO is interested in adopting such technologies for the benefit of both farmers and consumers. The primary objective of the foundation is to foster the development of a healthy, literate, and prosperous rural India.
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