While in recent years key components of the Indian economy have become world leaders in innovation and growth, other parts of the Indian economy, especially in rural areas, have not experienced similar advances. The opportunity exists, however, to forge new linkages and advance the means by which agri-food production and marketing systems function and serve the larger economy. Innovations in the use of information and communications technology, coupled with equally necessary changes in the organization and management of the processes by which food and fiber raw materials are produced and marketed, offer exciting potentials to advance the effectiveness of the agri-food sector and rural economies.

The purpose of this conference is to explore innovative approaches and new business models for linking domestic and international consumer markets with rural entrepreneurs and communities. Using a unique set of instrumental case studies of innovative business practices from across the world, the conference will provide a forum for discussion and debate of how to best organize agri-food supply chains so that they contribute directly to increasing farm income, rural employment and sustainable development. An integral part of this process will be evaluating the role of private industry in facilitating the establishment of alternative business models, driving technological advances, and catalyzing entrepreneurial innovation within rural communities.