Bhubaneswar: The first agri-entrepreneurship conclave - Agri Vikas - with entrepreneurs, investors, central government and international organisations, corporate bodies, and representatives, academics, agricultural students and farmers will begin from June 29 and showcase Odisha's potential in the agriculture and allied sectors.

The two-day conclave aims to rope in the best practices in agri-entrepreneurship from around the country to demonstrate the efficacy of small interventions such as value addition by simple processes like drying and packing, strengthening logistic chains and others to further the value of agricultural produce.

The conclave was announced in a press meet by Hema Yadav, of National Institute of Agriculture Marketing, Bijay Kumar Sahu, dean (agriculture) of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University, Jagadananda from the Centre for Youth and Social Development, Jagdish Pradhan from Sahabhagi Vikash Abhiyan, Ratnakar Panigrahi from Siddha Development Research Consultancy and Aparajita Tripathi, representative of KPMG, a professional services firm with global reach.

Union petroleum ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and union micro, small and medium enterprises minister Giriraj Singh will inaugurate the conclave.

Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and state cooperation minister Surya Narayan Patro will grace the valedictory event.

The unions ministries of agriculture and farmers' welfare, skill development and entrepreneurship, food processing industries, micro, small and medium enterprises, commerce and industry, and petroleum and natural gas have all extended patronage to the meet.