Punjab Agricultural University and Food Processing:New Private Sector Linkages

This project partners OSU/CFAES with the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), a university which OSU helped to create over 50 years ago. Funding for this project comes from USAID through the office of what is known as Higher Education for Development (HED). HED is formally affiliated with the American Council on Higher Education and the other major associations representing higher education in the United States. Dave Hansen, IPA is the Project Director and Mark Erbaugh, IPA is the Co-Director. The partnership focuses on developing the capacity of PAU to work with the rural agribusiness sector, particularly related to food processing.

 The focus of activities during 2006 was on development of a food industry center that is designed to help current food processors develop new products, various food quality and food safety, and identify new markets, especially international markets.  I twill also stimulate development of new food processing businesses.

 A number of activities were undertaken in support of the objectives of this project during 2006:

 David Hansen and Valente Alvarez, Director of the OSU Food Industries Center, traveled to PAU in January to attend a meeting of the new Advisory Committee for the center. While there, they also participated in a one day workshop during which faculty and administrators from PAU met with their private sector stakeholders. Together they continued to work on a strategic plan for the Center and its related pilot plant.

 Profs. Grady Chism and Poul Hansen, Food Science and Technology, served as consultants to the Food Industry Center at PAU.  They recommended alternate products on which to concentrate, how to organize the new pilot plant and how to staff it, and additional needed equipment for it.  Prof. Hansen was in residence at PAU for five months.

 Dr. G.S. Chahal, Project Co-Principal Investigator, traveled to OSU to discuss program priorities.  Together with David Hansen and Mark Erbaugh, he also attended the annual HED Synergy Conference in Washington, D.C. in August.

 

The Ohio State University     College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences        Office of International Education