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FINE 2023: A Kaleidoscope of Grassroots Solutions |
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"The Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu honoured 50 grassroots innovators at the 13th National Biennial Awards for Grassroots Innovations and Outstanding Traditional Knowledge held by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi, April 10-13, 2023. Alongside, the exhibitions at the Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE) allowed visitors to interact with several innovators, including a large section of students. Members of the Honey Bee Network interviewed the innovators. The NIF has compiled their stories at https://nif.org.in/biennial-award-function/24, and further information will be available in the digital edition of this issue.
In our previous issue (see HB 34(2):16, 2023), we presented the profiles of 24 innovators, and now continue by presenting stories of the remaining 26 FINE’ 23 innovators here and in our feature on Northeast India." |
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"Pelletisation for Paddy Cultivation
Aji Thomas (50)
Wayanad, Kerala (Consolation Award)
Scout: PDS, Kerala
(see HB 34(1): 15, 2023)
Paddy Straw Cutter for Mushroom Bed Preparation
Ajay Kumar Prusty (54)
Dhenkanal, Odisha (Consolation Award)
Ajay Kumar Prusty cultivates several varieties of mushroom with the support of schemes under the National H o r t i c u l t u r e
Mission. He hails from Dhenkanal, a mushroom cultivation hub that stands second in terms of production within Odisha. The substrate, or bed, on which mushrooms are grown impacts their nutrient value and taste. Fresh paddy straw beds give the best results, but
cutting and shaping them is laborious. His machine can cut bundles of paddy straw to the desired size of 1 by 0.75 sq. metres. Straw bundles are pushed through two rotor blades powered by a half HP motor each, cutting about 1500 bundles in an hour. It saves Rs.
0.35 per bundle, and has cut the cost of producing mushrooms by Rs. 4 per kg. “The best thing about this machine”, he said, “is that our sisters can now join in mushroom cultivation.” This had been a challenge since cutting straw manually requires a great degree of strength.
He advocates for farmers to reduce dependence on chemicals and expensive technology. He has dedicated 33 years to innovating efficient and resilient agricultural practices, and teaches other farmers how to adopt them. These include agroforestry, drip irrigation, integrated pest management, native seed preservation, etc. He believes in mechanization and commercialization of agriculture, only so far as they benefit farmers. He is assisted in the family agrobusiness by his son, who is currently pursuing a M.Sc. in Forestry.
Pepper Thresher
Binoy Sebastian (46)
Idukki, Kerala (Consolation Award)
(see HB 34(1): 15-16, 2023)
Two-in-One Cultivator and Blade
Harrow
Rajnikant Raghubhai Dhedi (40)
Morbi, Gujarat (Consolation Award)
Rajnikantbhai belongs to a family of farmers, and has been making farm implements for over a decade at his workshop. Saving farmers the hassle of having to attach and detach different implements, Rajnikantbhai created a tractor attachment that functions interchangeably as both a cultivator and harrow. “It saves farmers precious money and time,” he explained, as they do not have to buy two separate pieces of farm equipment, and may save fuel. The cultivator can cover 1.6 acres in an hour, and the harrow covers two acres per hour.
He calls his innovation “haathi”, and took 15 days to create it. He has received support from NIF to market his
innovation and hopes to make its design more compact with their help. He plans to sell one unit for Rs. 35,000.
Channel Making Machine Dinesh Chaudhary (42)
Durg, Chhattisgarh (Consolation Award)
Dineshbhai has created a machine with rotating blades to dig a single channel, useful in banana and papaya plantations. Two
side ploughs push soil towards the blades. Its two rear wheels stabilise the machine, and help maintain uniform depth. As it digs, it conveys soil towards the plant roots, covering them. It is PTO-powered and mounted on tractors of 20-25 HP. In an hour it can cover
0.67 acres while consuming two litres of fuel.
He belongs to a farming family from Dambha village but decided to become a welder to make a better living, after completing two years of an arts course in a nearby college. He created the machine at the request of a banana farmer, and creates several kinds of agricultural equipment at his workshop. The demand for the machine has been low. “The soil here is very hard,” he explains. “I need to save up, and plan to modify it after some time to suit the native soil”. At present, he does not plan to produce and market more machines.
Automatic Cup Hanger Making Machine for Rubber Plantation
G.S. Mohana Kumar (55)
Kollam, Kerala (Consolation Award)
Cup hangers to hold bags collecting rubber latex are usually made by hand. To standardize them,
G.S. Mohana Kumar built a one HP-
powered cup hanger machine (CHM) which winds and shapes wire into sturdy cup hangers of uniform shape and size. “I had noticed that most hangers would droop after a point, and latex would spill out,” he said. The hangers made by the CHM are strong enough to hold bags upright even when a high volume of latex has been collected. The machine can produce about 1,100-1,200 holders in an hour.
Mr. Kumar is a very skilled technician. He says that many parts of his machine were made by hand, to exact measurements. There are two versions of the CHM. The normal version can wind and shape iron wire of three millimetre thickness, and costs Rs. 4.8 lakhs. The other can create cups from both hard and soft wire. The machines have been well received, and he has got orders from buyers in Assam and Tripura, as well as, Malaysia and Cameroon.
Arecanut Leaf Moulding Machine
M. Chinnakanu (58)
Namakkal, Tamil Nadu (Consolation Award)
Scout: SEVA
M. Chinnakanu has created a range of hydraulic press machines to shape arecanut leaves into plates, bowls and spoons. For plates, he
has made a nine-dye plate press with diameters of four to twelve inches. He has designed it to be more efficient than others in the market, creating 1,700 plates in eight hours, at a cost of Rs. 50 per hour. His bowl machine can create one bowl in four seconds. The machines cut arecanut leaves to the size of the mould, and heat-dry the plates as they are being pressed.
Two decades of persistent effort have gone into improving the machine. He has made them easy to operate, and affordabletohome-basedmicroventures. He sells them for between Rs. 3 to 3.5 lakhs, and estimates that a person can earn a net profit of Rs. 3,000 in a day. “I give a life-time guarantee on the machine. It will work just the same even after 20 years!” He has sold over three hundred units so far, and actively encourages people to adopt such eco- friendly innovations.
Kansi No.1: Improved High-Yielding
Onion Variety
Punam Chand Patidar (54)
Jhalawar, Rajasthan (Consolation Award)
Scout: Swabhiman
Punambhai has
developed and popularised the Kansi No.1 onion variety characterized by high yields of 160 quintals per acre, large bulbs,
disease resistance and favourable brix content. He claims, “It is special in four ways - it has a long shelf life of about nine months, juicy and uniform rings, yields 100-150 quintals more than other varieties, and sells for Rs. 3 -5 per kg higher than other onions.”
Punambhai began with seeds of a traditional onion variety he found to be more flavourful with brighter pink bulbs. He developed the variety over seven years of selective cultivation. It is named after his grandfather, Kansiram ji, from whom he learnt to sow onions as a child. He has sold over two tons of seeds in nearby farms, and earns about Rs. 1 - 1.5 lakhs for the onions sown in one bigha. He has even earned Rs. 10 lakhs per bigha for a particularly high yield.
M-Jamini: Fine Grain Aromatic Rice
Variety
Mousumi Biswas (48) Murshidabad, West Bengal (Consolation Award)
Mousamidi, one of the first women farmers in her district, developed M-Jamini by crossing Lalat, an aromatic short grain with IR36, a non-aromatic
long-grained hybrid. Both are high yielding and resilient. M-Jamini is nutritious, aromatic, and blast tolerant. Outperforming similar varieties, it yields 45 quintals per hectare, and requires fewer seeds, and less manure, water, pesticide, and fungicide. It matures in 100 days as against 125- 130 days for Lolat and 112-115 days for IR36. It grows well across different climates and terrains, even at high altitudes. She spends about Rs. 1,500 per hectare on cultivation.
She dropped out of higher studies at Calcutta University to be the breadwinner for her family of seven after the sudden death of her elder brother. With no prior farming expertise, Mousami learned by toiling on her fields for 10 to 14 hours a day, growing maize, rice and vegetables. Fascinated by agriscience, she enrolled in courses offered by KVKs and other agricultural institutions, and listened to broadcasts about farming on All India Radio.
“I was concerned about how much freshwater is required to grow paddy,” Mousamidi said. In 2011, she started crossing seeds, and continued for the next six years till she obtained drought- resistant “M-Jamini”. The “M” stands for her name, and “Jamini” means “light in the dark” in Bangla. She hopes the seed symbolizes hope for farmers and for the environment. She sells the seeds at Rs. 75 per kg. Field trials and marketing are being facilitated by KVKs and NIF.
Palli: Dual Purpose Chilli Variety for Chutney & Sauce
Anand Maneklal Patel (50) and Purshottam Patel (51), Community representatives for Rupal village Gandhinagar, Gujarat (Consolation Award)
Palli chillies have been farmed in Rupal village for five decades. The name is derived from the word ‘palki’ or palanquin. The village prays to Vardayini Mata, a local deity who is carried on a palki, on a certain auspicious day when it is believed rivers of ghee will flow. This desi variety is longer than other chillies, with a bright red colour. Anand Agricultural University tested them and found them to have great potential as value-added products. “It has a fantastic taste, and it’s so versatile,” said Purushottambhai. The chili has been processed into chutney, powder and pickle, an initiative which the village hopes to scale up soon. They are exploring avenues for export.
Farmers estimate earning a profit of Rs. 1 lakh per hectare selling the chillies at bazaars within Gandhinagar district. It has recorded yields of up to 250 quintals per hectare, or 50 quintals after drying, and is resistant to diseases and pests. Seeds have also grown well in West Bengal, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Herbal medication for treatment of anestrus in Cows and Buffaloes
Akhmabhai Arjanbhai Vagadia (54) Mahisagar, Gujarat (Consolation Award)
Akhambhai has developed a treatment to promote reproductive health and remedy fertility disorders in cattle. He has made a plant-derived powder to be mixed in small quantities into the fodder of the animal suffering from anestrus. It helps induce their estrus cycle after 10-15 days. It also kills intestinal worms.
He is a marginal farmer, and herbal healer for humans and animals. He would crush leaves of a certain herb in a large stone pestle, and also shared the remedy with other farmers at a nominal charge. The NIF helped him partner with Rakesh Healthcare India, based in Gandhinagar, to refine and market the medicine under the brand name Estrona.
Appreciation
Flower Shower Machine Baltej Singh Matharu (41)
Ferozepur, Punjab (Appreciation)
Festive flower and confetti showers are often done by bulky and energy- intensive propulsion machines. Baltejbhai built a portable shower machine with a speed knob, and a flexible outlet pipe so users can change the trajectory. Its 40cc four-stroke petrol engine powers a centrifugal blower which moves flowers down and into the pipe. Fresh flowers are propelled as far as 20-25 feet, and artificial flowers or confetti up to 50 feet. The machine could also be used to shower ‘gulaal’ on Holi. It has the advantage of being refilled whereas confetti rockets are done in one go. The operating cost is low as one litre of petrol can power the machine for 5-6 hours.
He built the machine in 2020 for a nagar kirtan in his neighbourhood. “I did not set out to be an innovator,” he clarifies though the NIF has helped him find his potential as one. He made a portable version with a micro-engine after an initiallly bulky model. His father, who taught him all about machines, suggested the idea of using a flexible pipe outlet. Both own independent workshops, and collaborate frequently. He rents out the two units made, and with NIF’s help, hopes to scale and sell at about Rs. 20,000 per unit.
Standing Bar for Carpenters Nisar Ahmad Itoo (56)
Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir (Appreciation)
Nisar Ahmad Itoo built the telescopic iron ladder to be durable and stable, with a wide platform to stand on. Its legs can be extended to reach
heights between 5 - 14 feet, allowing a carpenter to easily work on the second storey of most buildings. It is a safer alternative to wooden workstations used by most carpenters.
Due to financial constraints, he left school after class 6, and followed his father and brothers into carpentry. He saw how inadequate current workstations were and began developing the bar by 2018. Rather than trial and error, he says, “my carpenter friends and NIF are the ones who guided me to develop a safer, durable, and less costly bar.” If granted a patent, Nisar ji would be able to earn from its lease. In the interim, he has utilised seed funding to build two models, which he rents to carpenters in Anantnag at Rs. 200 per piece. His daughter seems to have inherited the spark of scientific curiosity and plans to enroll for an engineering degree.
BLK-Balaji: Improved High-Yielding
Wheat Variety
Bajrang Lal Kasva (33)
Nagaur, Rajasthan (Appreciation) Scout: Swabhiman
Bajrangbhai selected seeds of SRW-688 wheat to develop BLK- Balalji. It gives high yields of 60-70 quintals per hectare, with a high number of tillers, and
thicker grains that resist damage during heavy rains. BLK-Balaji is disease tolerant, has a protein content of about 13%, and is a good source of zinc and iron. Sowing is economical, with about four kilograms of seeds covering a hectare. Selling BLK-Balaji brings him 50 percent higher profit than other wheat varieties.
After completing school in 2012, Bajrangbhai joined his family in their traditional cultivation of wheat. That same year, he selected an ear of wheat which looked healthier and rounder, planted it and saw good results. He planted it in successive years, and in 2015, NIF helped in getting the grains tested. He has named it after his initials, and for his devotion to Lord Hanuman.
Student Awards
Spill-Proof Kangri Asim Sikander Mir (18)
Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir (Student
- First)
Traditional kangris are used in almost every Kashmiri household for warmth. Asim’s eco-friendly and economical kangri (heater) has an inner
clay pot which is capable of 360-degree rotation to always stay upright. This prevents the burning cinders from falling out – a hazard of traditional kangris. “I will launch the spill-proof kangri in local markets this winter when I expect demand to be quite high.” He spends about Rs. 300 to create one unit, and would sell them at Rs. 500.
As a child, Asim would often drop kangris, burning carpets at home. At age 15, he began thinking of how to solve the problem, and was helped by his father. The colourful outer basket is made of a softwood native to Kashmir. He enlisted the help of artisans to make the basket and clay pot, and a welder to create the metal gyroscopic mechanism.
LPG Cylinder Cap Opener
Sayen Akhtar Shaik
South Andaman, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Student - Second)
Sayen has made a plier-like device with a hooked jaw to prise open the cap on LPG cylinders. Opening the cap by hand can be tricky since one needs to simultaneously uncap it while
pulling a nylon-threaded to unlock a metal clip. He was prompted to find a solution when his mother injured her hand while replacing the LPG cylinder on their stove. The device can also be used to open caps on ketchup bottles or similarly sized caps.
Bamboo Basket Weaving Machine Sumit Murari (20)
Bokaro, Jharkhand (Student - Third)
The machine is conceived to work with a single foot pedal that reels in bamboo strips and weaves them onto a rotating basket frame.
It could boost the productivity and earnings of bamboo basket weavers, who currently are only able to make three to four baskets in a day.
Sea Buckthorn Harvester
Tsering Omphel (19)
Leh, Ladakh (Student - Consolation)
Sea buckthorn
berries, endemic to the Himalayan region, are usually picked off their thorny branches by hand. To prevent
potential injuries, Tsering’s harvesting contraption ensures that one’s hands can be kept at a safe distance while plucking It has two parts – a heavy-duty serrated blade with a long handle for pruning, and a net to catch the berries. He plans to replace the net with a basket so it no longer gets caught in the thorns.
Bed with integrated wheelchair
Arushi Tandon (23)
Kolkata, West Bengal (Student -
Consolation)
Arushi integrated a wheelchair into a hospital bed so its occupant could independently get themselves into a
seated-position and be mobile. She got the idea while observing how difficult it was for her bedridden grandmother to go to the washroom. The detachable seat is controlled by a lever placed on the user’s right hand side. The user can also raise both hand rests with the push of a button.
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Honey Bee, 34(3)5-10 , 2023 |
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