ICAR-CCRI Launches Citrus Nurserypreneurship Program in Nagpur
A specialized incubation initiative aims to empower aspiring citrus nursery entrepreneurs in Maharashtra.
ICAR-CCRI's CitriHub launched a citrus nurserypreneurship program.
Participants received hands-on training in nursery management.
The initiative aims to enhance India's citrus value chain and rural employment.
The ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI) in Nagpur has initiated a specialized incubation program aimed at nurturing aspiring citrus nursery entrepreneurs from Maharashtra. This initiative, organized by CitriHub, is designed to equip participants with the necessary technical skills and market readiness to produce high-quality citrus planting materials and establish sustainable nursery businesses.
The incubation program featured an intensive hands-on training component, where three selected incubatees engaged in practical learning covering essential aspects of scientific citrus nursery management. This included the establishment and maintenance of mother blocks, various budding techniques, containerized nursery production, and understanding nursery accreditation processes. The curriculum was carefully crafted to blend technical training with entrepreneurial development, ensuring that participants could create commercially viable nursery enterprises.
During the program, Dr. Dilip Ghosh, the Director of ICAR-CCRI, interacted with the participants to assess the current landscape of citrus nursery enterprises in their regions. He highlighted emerging opportunities, regional challenges, and the future potential for producing quality planting materials. Dr. Ghosh emphasized the critical role of nurserypreneurship in bolstering the citrus sector and committed to providing ongoing technical support and business mentoring to help participants successfully launch and grow their enterprises.
Participants expressed their appreciation for CitriHub's comprehensive incubation ecosystem, which effectively combined scientific knowledge with practical entrepreneurial training. They noted that the program significantly improved their technical skills, expanded their understanding of modern nursery management, and boosted their confidence in establishing and scaling professionally managed citrus nursery operations.
The successful execution of this program underscores CitriHub's dedication to promoting citripreneurship through structured incubation and technology transfer. By fostering skilled nurserypreneurs, ICAR-CCRI aims to strengthen India's citrus value chain, create rural employment opportunities, and support sustainable agribusiness development throughout the country.
