Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) has established BioNEST Incubator for “Promoting Women Bio-entrepreneurship in Orchid Floriculture” under the leadership of Prof. Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, Director, IBSD. He highlighted various activities of BioNEST Incubator in an event on “Science Odyssey of the North East” during IISF 2024 and discussed various opportunities for the development of startups in NER. 

The Director, IBSD mentioned that the major focus of this programme is capacity building and training of women bio-entrepreneurs and farmers from different parts of Ri-Bhoi, Aspirational District of Meghalaya. Under this programme, more than 100 women entrepreneurs have been trained and encouraged for orchid cultivation and propagation. This project is implemented through a Hub and Spokes model at Umsning Block of Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.

IBSD is participating in the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2024 scheduled from November 30,  to December 3, at IIT, Guwahati. This is the first time that IISF is happening in the North Eastern Region of India. During the event, IBSD highlighted different research activities and various outreach programmes for promoting bioeconomy from bioresources for Viksit Bharat.

Dr Jitendra Singh,  Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Govt. of India visited the IBSD stall at DBT Expo and interacted with the Director and other staff of IBSD. During the visit, he encouraged the women bioentrepreneurs and beneficiaries of BioNEST Incubator of IBSD to entrepreneurship development through Orchid floriculture. He appreciated this initiative of IBSD for the development of women entrepreneurship and startups in this region.

Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India interacted with women beneficiaries of BioNEST Incubator of IBSD which is funded by BIRAC, DBT, New Delhi for the development of women bioentrepreneurship through floriculture. He congratulated Prof. Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, Director and team IBSD for actively participating in IISF 2024 and highlighting various activities of the institute to promote bioresources of NER for the development of bioeconomy.

IBSD is the only Institute in NER under the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India having its presence in Imphal, Manipur; Gangtok, Sikkim; Aizawl, Mizoram; and Shillong, Meghalaya. The institute is working on Bioresources development and their sustainable use through biotechnological interventions for the socio-economic growth of the region with the major goal of scientific management of bioresources in the Indian region falling under the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. IBSD is promoting bioresources of NER and synergising research areas for catalysing the growth of entrepreneurship and startups in the region for livelihood generation and boosting the bioeconomy with different perspectives.

Promotional | BARAK FESTIVAL 2025