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FINE 2023 (part-2) |
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"Soil Clod Crusher and Wetland Leveller
Suchil Teron (38)
Guwahati, Assam (State Award)
Paddy fields are prone to clod formation due to heavy irrigation. Suchil’s clod crusher is a series of metal spikes attached to a thick rotating cylindrical axis,
supported by a frame. It can be attached to a cultivator to stir, pulverize and aerate the soil. This smoother and looser soil is an ideal seedbed. After seeds are planted, the machine can uproot weeds and churn them into mulch. For any remaining small clods, he innovated a wetland leveller. It consists of a rotating axis that churns the soil through eight long L-shaped iron blades, and attaches to a tractor. The mechanism levels the soil, and makes it compact after harvesting paddy, while the fields are still deluged. It works well on slopes and uneven terrain.
He recounts that at the start, “I tried using a tree branch to churn the clods but was unsuccessful. I thought that others must be facing the same problems, so why not make something for the society as a whole.” It took a month to design the clod crusher. He made it a foot longer than his cultivator so that it can cover more area. In an hour, the machine can cover 0.32 hectares, which
consumes 3.5 litres of diesel. It is sturdy and its upkeep is minimal. He has not had to repair or replace any part of it in the last 9 years. He spent a month and a half building a wetland leveller. His first model was bulky and cumbersome to operate. He reduced its length from 12 to 9 feet, and made changes to the frame to make it less heavy.
The clod crusher costs about Rs. 75,000, and the wetland leveller costs Rs. 80,000.
Tarpaulin Shed with In-built Water Drain
Mohd. Aminuddin (78)
Kolkata, West Bengal (State Award)
Mohd. Aminuddin, while tending to his shop, observed that when rainwater weighed down tarpaulin roofs of shops, they would either collapse, or
water would spill on passers-by. He innovated tarpaulin roofing with a drain at the centre. The drain is a tarp sheet shaped into a cylinder, open at both ends. It drains water falling on the roof onto the road. This has gained popularity with many other shopkeepers and he has sold well over 6,000 pieces. Every piece is manufactured to the specifications of the buyer after measuring their shop. He is currently supplying them only within Kolkata, and says, “at my age, it is getting a bit difficult to continue, and I hope the award brings my product to the notice of someone who will help it reach more people.” He used to design leather bags, and now runs his own bag manufacturing unit with his two sons.
Polanga Decorticator Rajesh Sahoo (31)
Puri, Odisha
Polanga trees ( C a l o p h y l l u m inophyllum L.) are found along India’s Eastern coast, from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu. Its seeds are valued as a
source of ‘tamanu oil’, used in wellness products and as biofuel. Rajesh’s machine roll the seeds, breaking the hard outer shell. It processes 300 kg of polanga in an hour at 98% efficiency on a 1 HP motor. He recommends filling the machine to capacity for quicker decortication. Though farmers still pick polanga manually, they no longer spend hours processing these seeds, earning four to five times their previous income from it. The shells can be used as firewood.
Rajesh is a farmer who learnt mechanics when supplementing his income between two cropping seasons through odd jobs as a mechanic. He watched youtube videos to learn how to build and operate various machines. “For three months, I kept testing and modifying the machine,” he recalls of the experience. “It was a lot of work but I can now earn Rs. 2,000 - 3,000 in a day.” He especially focused on improving efficiency, as earlier it could only process between 10 - 40 kg in an hour. It is also sturdier compared to his previous models. He has also used it for decorticating groundnuts and arecanuts.
Silkworm Breeding Net Folding Machine
Sunil Shinde (47)
Jalna, Maharashtra
Silkworm colonies to grow on plastic nets. After harvesting the silk, skilled workers must be hired to fold and bind these nets.
They cannot be reused if damaged. Sunil’s device is a frame made of three pipes, which is laid down so nets can be placed on top. By pressing a lever, the platform is pulled up to stand vertically while a perpendicular rod is pushed onto the nets, which are held in place by the frame. This folds and compresses the nets, so that they can be easily bound by rope. Demonstrating its efficiency, he said that it “does such a neat job that the nets look like they have arrived fresh from the store!” About 300 nets can be folded in an hour this way by two workers, against
200 in a day by four workers folding them manually.
His initial design had six pipes, but would not press the net down. He rebuilt the machine five or six times before making a workable model. He sells it at Rs. 3,500. He plans to approach the Central Silk Board to provide his machine to sericulturists under a subsidized scheme.
AA: Improved Drought Tolerant Dual Purpose Sorghum Variety
Himmatbhai V. Lakkad (57)
Bhavnagar, Gujarat (State Award)
Himmatbhai has spent a decade selecting seeds of a local sorghum variety based on their yield, lustrous yellow colour, leaf health and other visible traits. His AA variety gives high grain yields of 25- 30 quintals per hectare, has bigger and healthier grains, drought-resistance, and higher pest and disease resistance. It also gives high yields for green fodder of 220- 250 quintals per hectare, and dry fodder of 110-120 quintals per hectare.
It is sweet, with a protein content of 10
- 12%, and consumed as both food and fodder. Well-received by other farmers, it reaches maturity within 110 days and can be grown round the year. He sells grains at Rs. 200 per kilo. NIF is assisting him in commercializing the seeds. Asked about his future plans, he responded, “The crop is special, but since I am new to innovating, I need all the help and support of my farmer friends and the NIF.”
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Honey Bee, 34(2)22-23 , 2023 |
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