NSIC to set up incubation centres in Africa

The National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC), a public sector undertaking under the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises, is setting up incubation centers in 10 African countries, including Gaborone, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Libya, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Burundi, Mozambique.

The funding of the incubation project is done by the ministry of external affairs as per the discussions held during the India-Africa forum summit held in 2008.

The NSIC model of incubation is unique for small enterprise establishment where the budding entrepreneurs are trained for establishment of small enterprises. The trainees are given hands on experience on the project which they proposed to set up and the course module includes basic skill development, facilitation on fund management to banks, interaction on project suppliers for machine for technology supply, marketing and product packaging, costing and pricing, general banking procedure, basic book keeping and accounting etc.

The projects identified to be set up in these 10 countries are concrete block manufacturing plant, tomato ketchup and fruit juice making plant, corrugated paper box manufacturing plant, plant for making cookies, blow-molding plant, wire nail manufacturing, soya milk extraction, socks knitting, manufacturing of plastic bottle cap, water treatment plants, noodle making machine, honey processing plant, manufacturing of plastic shopping bags, jewelry making and finishing equipment, gem stone cutting and polishing machines.