The Department of Processing and Food Engineering (DPFE), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, organized a one-day Entrepreneurship Development Programme on Agro-Processing for Better Livelihood on December 9, 2025, under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP–ICAR 43) of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology. The programme was attended by 25 SC/ST beneficiaries, marking the fourth such training conducted under the initiative, which has so far benefited 100 participants through focused skill development in agro-processing.
The technical sessions began with an expert lecture by Dr Alam, who highlighted the scope of small-scale agro-based enterprises related to durables, spices, and honey, emphasizing viable income-generating opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. Dr Sandhya, Principal Scientist, followed with insights on farm-level processing and machinery for oilseeds and pulses, focusing on technologies suitable for small and micro enterprises. Dr Manpreet Kaur Saini, Senior Entomologist, addressed scientific methods for safe storage of food grains and pulses to ensure better returns and minimize post-harvest losses. Dr Gagandeep Kaur Nagra, Food Microbiologist, discussed mushroom processing technologies and their potential for remunerative entrepreneurship, while Dr Rohit Sharma, Senior Scientist, elaborated on farm-level processing of food grains and the importance of value addition in enhancing farmers’ income.
Participants were also provided hands-on demonstrations of small-scale post-harvest machinery, enabling them to gain practical exposure to equipment relevant for establishing rural processing units.
Addressing the trainees, Dr T.C. Mittal, Principal Extension Scientist and Head, Department of Processing and Food Engineering, appreciated their active participation and reaffirmed PAU’s commitment to empowering Scheduled Caste communities through targeted capacity building, technology dissemination, and livelihood enhancement in the agro-processing sector.
The programme concluded with the distribution of training kits and technical literature, followed by a group photograph, marking the successful completion of the training initiative.