Srinagar: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir held a ‘Startup Ideathon on Forest-based Economy’ at the Faculty of Forestry Benihama campus.
The brainstorming session ‘Role of Forests on Circular Economy: Ideas and Prospects for Entrepreneurship” was held with an aim to promote entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation, idea generation, opportunity recognition, and idea evaluation.
The programme was organised by the university’s Faculty of Forestry under the World Bank-ICAR funded National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) for the institutional development of SKUAST-K.
Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-K Prof JP Sharma in his message emphasised to tap the potential of entrepreneurship and startups in forestry-based sectors by the students.
Director Planning and Monitoring, and PI NAHEP Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, who was the chief guest at the occasion spoke about the university’s entrepreneurship niche created under IDP-NAHEP in the last two years. He motivated the students to identify problems and look out for promising startups in forestry.
Prof Tariq Hussain Masoodi, Dean Faculty of Forestry who was the lead speaker talked about the circular economy in forestry and presented an overview of potential themes in forestry for startups. He further spoke on the potential of forestry-based enterprises to be presented as a unique global brand. He also discussed some case studies on globally successful startups in forestry.
Earlier Prof PA Khan (HoD, FBT) and Dr Akhlaq Amin Wani (Organizing Secretary) presented an overview of the program. Prof SA Gangoo (HOD, FPU) in his speech talked about the possibilities of startups in forest-based medicinal and aromatic plants. Dr SNZ Geelani (Member CCPC) gave information on scholarship opportunities for students and presented a vote of thanks.
A brainstorming session with the students was conducted and ideas were conceived during the session. The promising and more realistic business ideas generated during the session would go in the second round for the star innovator contest. About 200 students from the Faculty of Forestry participated in the brainstorming session. The faculty of forestry on the occasion felicitated their students Sameer Ahmad Magrey and Madiha Qadri for securing 10th and 11th rank (forestry) respectively in the All India ICAR-JRF examination.
Dr MA Islam, Dr PA Sofi, Dr GM Bhat, Dr Khursheed Ahmad, Dr JA Mugloo, Dr Ashfaq A Mir, Dr TA Rather, Dr Aasif A Gatoo, Dr Amerjeet Singh, Dr AR Malik, Dr Peerzada Ishtiyak, Dr Megna Rashid, Dr Sabeena Nabi, Dr NA Pala, Dr Amir Farooq, Dr Tahir Mushtaq, Dr Maqbool Rather, Dr Shah Murtaza and Dr Mehraj were among other who participated in the brainstorming session.

KR Desk