A Journey of Impact in Food Processing and Agribusiness

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His professional journey, while seemingly well-orchestrated in retrospect, was in fact a series of thoughtful choices made at various crossroads—each decision contributing meaningfully to a larger narrative of impact. Unlike a jigsaw puzzle that only reveals its meaning when complete, every phase of his career had a unique story that aligned with the overarching purpose of serving millions, particularly farmers and food businesses across India.

Over the course of his career, he has impacted the lives and livelihoods of over 10 million farmers and provided professional support to more than 200 food processing and agribusiness enterprises. His work spans private industry, cooperatives, non-profit organisations, public-private partnerships, and consulting. He had the opportunity to closely work with the Government, R&D Institutions, Universities & Academia, and the Farming Community, Food processing and allied industries.  He is currently a trustee of a foundation, continuing to influence the food safety & nutrition ecosystem.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Professional Training in Mechanical Engineering from B.M.S. College of Engineering and a Postgraduate Diploma in Materials Management from the Indian Institute of Materials Management. His continuous learning journey includes specialised training in:

• Food Project Management and Food Safety from Rutgers University, USA
• Food Safety & Microbiology from CFTRI, Mysore
• Certified Food Safety Auditor programs from Acumen, Australia and BIS, India
  

All of these qualifications were pursued in parallel with his professional commitments.

Career Path and Key Milestones

Each stint in his career had  some innovative and often included first-of-its-kind experiences.  His career began out of necessity, taking up a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering to support his family. He joined India Design Centre (IDC), one of the country’s premier design houses, where he worked on special-purpose machinery and reengineering of imported Japanese textile machinery.

He later moved to the Karnataka Dairy Development Corporation (now Karnataka Milk Federation), where he was involved in planning and executing major dairy infrastructure projects, including chilling centres, cattle feed plants and milk processing units in his association with the Project Engineering division.  While with the Animal husbandry department, he was closely associated with some of the key initiatives like:

• Import of livestock from Denmark
• Establishment of Karnataka’s first liquid nitrogen plants for long-term semen storage
• Establishment of a modern Bull breeding Farm
• Early adoption of computerisation for project and financial management
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All these were a part of the Operation Flood Programme implemented in several States which resulted in popularly called the white revolution.  His tenure at KMF has got him some very good friends with varied interests.  This sparked his interest in the arts, and he actively participated in Kannada theatre.

Leadership in Technology and Innovation

On deputation from KMF, he joined the Centre for Technology Development (CTD)—a USAID-funded, not-for-profit organisation located at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He had the opportunity to work alongside top technocrats, academicians, bureaucrats and industrialists.  At CTD, he spearheaded numerous pioneering projects which were first of their kind, such as:

• Product development lab at IIHR
• Fruit and vegetable Packaging facility at HOPCOMS
• Analytical laboratories at UAS Bangalore and Dharwad
  

He also led the establishment of one of India’s first Food Business Incubators at AWAKE for women entrepreneurs, long before startup incubators became mainstream.

He was deeply involved in the commercialisation of food technologies from institutions like CFTRI, DFRL, and agricultural universities, facilitating technology transfer and supporting industries in new product development and scale-up.

Policy & International Projects

He played a critical role in strengthening institute-industry collaboration, initiating joint research projects, internships, and academic partnerships.

During the 1990s, when the EU halted seafood exports from India due to food safety concerns, he was one of the key members who  led the national response on behalf of CTD, initiating India's first HACCP awareness and implementation campaign. His work included:

• Training at Rutgers University’s Centre for Advanced Food Technology
• Conducting workshops and seminars across India
• Publishing manuals and certifying HACCP auditors
• Providing technical assistance for HACCP implementation in Indian industries

International Projects: Tajikistan and JICA

He was a lead team member in setting up a multi-fruit processing plant in Tajikistan, a Government of India–Tajikistan joint venture. The project, executed under challenging conditions—including sub-zero weather and logistical hurdles—was completed on time and within budget, earning accolades from both governments.

He also served as the India Lead for several projects supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) across nine Indian states. These projects spanned sectors including dairy, poultry, horticulture, and floriculture and involved extensive field work, stakeholder consultations, and strategic planning.

Contributions to Food Parks and National Missions

As a key member of the core team promoting the Food Park initiative, he helped conceptualise, plan six food parks in Karnataka. Two of these were developed and implemented as model parks under the PPP mode, offering benefits like:

• Regional economic development
• Reduction of post-harvest losses
• Farmer-to-industry linkages

He was also instrumental in facilitating two World Bank-funded NAIP projects, focused on patchouli and pomegranate cultivation using good agricultural practices.

He played a vital role in the World Bank-aided Sujala III Project, a multidisciplinary watershed development initiative. His responsibilities included:

• Introducing scientific post-harvest technologies
• Promoting and supporting Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
• Establishing post-harvest infrastructure and custom hiring centres
• Ensuring effective implementation and reporting, recognised positively by the World Bank

Sector Expertise

His expertise spans nearly every sub-sector within agribusiness and food processing, including:

§  Dairy and milk processing;

§  Cereals and pulses processing

§  Spices processing

§  Fruits and vegetables processing

§  Plantation crops processing

§  Seafood processing

§  Organic baby foods

§  Convenience & traditional foods processing

His work covered everything from new project planning and modernisation to food safety system implementation, market development, and business mentoring.

Publications, Associations & Recognitions

He is the author of numerous technical reports and manuals. His notable literary contribution is a biography of Dr. A.S. Aiyar, a pioneer of India’s food processing industry. The book features a foreword by Shri Suresh Prabhu, former Union Cabinet Minister, Government of India  and has been widely appreciated by industry leaders.

He has held leadership roles in professional bodies such as:

• President, AFST(I), Bangalore Chapter
• Co-Chairman, Agro-Food Processing Committee, BCIC
• Fellow, Institution of Engineers (India)

He has dedicated these roles to fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and giving back to the professional community. He has also been a Jury member for Start-up and ESG awards. 

He is passionate about playing tennis and singing karaoke, with a keen interest in travelling with family and friends, trekking, and spending quality time with close companions. He also does volunteer work. 

His wife, an electrical engineer, works for a software company, while his daughter holds a dual degree MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and Hitotsubashi ICS, Tokyo. She is currently employed with a multinational corporation. Both have been strong pillars of support in his career and endeavours.

He continues to mentor and advise start-ups and entrepreneurs.

In recognition of his sustained contributions, he was recently honoured with the “Pride of Karnataka Award 2025” by “Icons of Indian Business” Magazine.

R. Prakash, BE, FIE, CE

Technical Director, Centre for Holistic Agriculture & Green Enterprise (CHANGE), Bangalore ;

Co-Chairman, Agro-food processing Expert Committee, Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce (BCIC);

Trustee, Innovative Food Foundation, Bangalore

Email: ramaraoprakash@gmail.com; Mob: +91 8762729200