The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry organized Rural Connect Conclave on 3rd and 4th December 2018 at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, Rajarhat. The objective of this conclave was to address various issues and development related to rural area of West Bengal. This initiative brought farmers, agri-enterpreneur, technologist and research scholar from various agriculture institution under one roof and provided a platform where farmers understood the challenges and updated themselves with new technology and innovative production processes.

Apart from that, representative of various departments of Government of West Bengal and National Bank of Agriculture & Rural Development shared schemes and information for agro and rural development fraternity including farmers.

The conclave was held to connect all stakeholders of rural development on a single platform. The Conclave was attended by farmers' producers' organizations (FPOs) of the State, bankers, agri-technologists, agri-business specialists, agri- scientists. The discussions of the conclave revolved around uplifting of farmers to agri-entrepreneurs. During the conclave some FPOs presented their journeys of transforming themselves from simple farmers to agri-entrepreneurs.

Some of the Speakers of the Rural Connect 2018 were:-

• Mr. Arup Roy, Hon'ble Minister-in-Charge - Department of Cooperation, Government of West Bengal

• Shri Purnendu Bose, Hon'ble Minister-In-Charge, Department of Technical Education, Training & Skill Development, Government of West Bengal

• Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Industry, Commerce & Enterprise, Government of West Bengal

• Mr. Hemant Kanoria, Chairman & Managing Director - SREI Group

• Mr. Subrata Mondal, Chief General Manager - NABARD

• Mr. S.K.Mishra, Chairman & Managing Director -SKM Group

• Mr. A.K.Banerjee, Vice Chairman & Managing Director - IFB Agro Limited

• Mr. Amit Sarogi, Managing Director - Anmol Feeds Private Limited

• Prof. (Dr.} Swapan Kumar Dutta, Former DDG (ICAR} and VC, Visva-Bharati University, Co-PI, DBT, Program sopport of COE, University of Calcutta, Kolkata

• Mr. Raj Ganguly, The World Bank

• Mr. Chandrapratap Singh, Business Head - Vindhyachal Agrofarms Pvt. Ltd.

Rural Connect Conclave was attended by more than 450 delegates. The Bengal Chamber of Commerce will continue organising Rural Connect conclaves amongst all stakeholders across the State.