IIM-L follows FMCG cos, banks on a field trip

MUMBAI: After Indian FMCG firms and banks, it is the turn of the top B-schools to focus attention on the farm sector. Management institutes now want to improve farm management and as part of these efforts, IIM-Lucknow which offers a course on agricultural management is now planning to raise its intake of students for this programme. The course is offered to students from diverse backgrounds such as engineering or sciences.

The institute started its post graduate programme in agri business management (PGPABM) recently. Two batches of students have already passed and they have received good job offers from companies such as Reliance Industries, ITC, ICICI Prudential, Godrej Agrovet, ICICI Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. The intake of students in the PGPABM programme has increased from 12 in the first batch to around 22 in the third batch and 30 in the fourth batch.

IIM-L director Devi Singh told ET that the institute plans to focus on agriculture as there is a lot to be done in Uttar Pradesh. “For PGPABM we get around 30-35 students and eventually the institute will increase the number of seats to 60,” he said.

The institute also has an Agriculture Management Centre (AMC) to provide expert advice to agencies that implement agricultural development projects.

AMC focuses on field-based research to improve the productivity of farms and leads to rural prosperity that can help improve the quality of rural life. The centres help prioritise resource allocation, efficient and effective management of productive resources through farming in a sustainable manner.

At present, the centre is providing consultancy services, primarily on monitoring and evaluation to the UP Diversified Agriculture Support Project (UPDASP) funded by the World Bank.

Mr Singh said the World Bank is keen to support the second phase of the UPDASP. “The APMC Act (state Mandi Act) was so far a hindrance but with the government recently announcing an amendment to this act, the institute can work again on this project,” he said.

The institute plans to provide the facilities available at the Lucknow campus of Centre for Entrepreneur Development and New Venture Management in its new campus at Noida, too. “At the Noida campus we will bring technology, provide financial institutions and create a centre where we will incubate some of these ventures before they translate into a full-fledged business,” Mr Singh said.

The institute recently organised a three-day conference on agribusiness and food industry at its campus in Lucknow in association with Tennessee State University and South Carolina State University which is part of a project funded by USDA.