beroi Stresses Farmer Empowerment as Key to Atmanirbhar Bharat
National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM-K), proudly announces the expansion of its 20th Village Adoption Programme (VAP), reaffirming its commitment to transforming rural livelihoods through technology-driven and sustainable interventions. Scheduled from November 19–27, 2025, the initiative will mobilize 21 teams comprising 257 students and 36 faculty mentors to work across 21 villages in 17 districts spanning 13 states of India.
Through its previous outreach efforts across the country, Team NIFTEM-K has implemented impactful interventions in nearly 95 villages across 22 states. To date, 19 rounds of the Village Adoption Programme have been successfully completed, consistently contributing to rural development and capacity building.NIFTEM-K’s efforts have been widely recognized. The institute was honoured with the prestigious Agriculture Leadership Award for this flagship initiative and played a key role in the Smart Gram Pilot Project of Rashtrapati Bhawan, further underscoring its dedication to national development.
Under the visionary leadership of Dr. Harinder Singh Oberoi, Director, NIFTEM-K, this initiative aims to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and grassroots application, ensuring that farmers and rural entrepreneurs gain access to modern food processing solutions that enhance productivity, improve quality, and increase income generation opportunities.
Speaking about the programme, Dr. Oberoi emphasized, “Empowering farmers with knowledge, skills, and technology is essential to achieve the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India). Through capacity building, rural entrepreneurship promotion, and local-level value addition, NIFTEM-K is striving to create self-reliant and resilient villages that can thrive sustainably.”
The Village Adoption Programme is an experiential learning initiative designed to provide hands-on exposure to students while enabling direct interaction with rural communities. The teams will work on developing innovative food products, improving post-harvest handling, and supporting local food enterprises. The programme also focuses on promoting community-level entrepreneurship, skill development, and technology transfer for sustainable rural growth.
By combining scientific knowledge with local wisdom, NIFTEM-K aims to create a model where “science meets soil,” transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.
Together with its students, mentors, and rural partners, NIFTEM-K continues to build a stronger, smarter, and self-sufficient rural India—one where innovation reaches every farmer and every village becomes a hub of prosperity.