Tummala Nageswara Rao Advocates Agribusiness Ties at Hyderabad SEED Event
On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao addressed the valedictory and convocation ceremony of the International Training Program on Seed Education and Enterprise Development (SEED) held at IPE in Hyderabad.
Speaking at the event, the Minister underscored entrepreneurship as the backbone of rural prosperity. He outlined a roadmap for agribusiness growth and envisioned collaborations between Telangana and Taraba State in Nigeria to build sustainable seed enterprises.
The SEED programme was jointly organised by Taraba Seeds Limited of Nigeria, Prasad Seeds Private Limited of India, and IPE, in association with the Taraba State Government. The initiative, driven by Prasad AgTech FZC, aimed to provide knowledge, skills, and applications in seed education and enterprise development to selected youth from Taraba State.
According to organisers, the programme reflected the emergence of friendship and collaboration between India and Nigeria. It reaffirmed a shared vision of building bridges across nations to modernise agriculture, empower youth, and create sustainable enterprises.
Labour Minister G. Vivek Venkatswamy, who attended as the Guest of Honour, emphasised that skill development and labour reforms are essential to support agricultural entrepreneurship, ensuring innovation translates into livelihoods for workers and communities.
Dr. D. Raji Reddy, Vice Chancellor of SKLTGHU, highlighted the role of climate-friendly practices, horticultural innovation, and knowledge exchange in transforming rural livelihoods. K. Madhava Rao, president of IPE’s Board of Governors, spoke on how institutional cooperation between India and Nigeria strengthens governance and capacity building in agriculture.
From the entrepreneurial sector, Prasad Karumanchi, Founder and Chairman of Prasad Seeds, Taraba Seeds, and Prasad AgTech FZC, shared his vision of connecting farmers across continents. Dr. G. Dileep Kumar, Founder and CEO of Taraba Seeds Limited, showcased the training modules that provided hands-on exposure to next-generation seed technologies to the Nigerian youth.
Following the distribution of certificates, Dr. Ali Sarah Sabo Danjuma, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture in Taraba State, and Dr. Joshua Mark Maaku, Director General of TAGIS, congratulated the trainees. Dr. Agbu Kefas, Governor of Taraba State, urged the graduates to carry forward their knowledge to ensure food security and prosperity.
