Empower our feeders! Farmers are the feeders of the world and it is a necessity of the whole world to ensure that they are fed. Farmers sell raw products in the market, but the selling of processed goods is definitely going to generate more revenue and in turn, increases their self-sufficiency. We put forward our idea in the above context of improving the condition of farmers. Our layout works on 5 tiers which are described as follows:
Upaj-Utpadita
Production is the basis of agriculture. Hence addressing the most significant part of the plan, ‘Upaj-Utpadita’ focuses on improving the yield and productivity of the land area available. Illiteracy is the most dangerous enemy they are facing. Due to the lack of knowledge and inability to update to the latest technologies their informal practices are only doing harm to their crops. They even lack the basic knowledge about how much and what kind of fertilizers, insecticides, weedicides or pesticides are to be added in their fields. Knowing what, when, where and how to produce are some basic questions that they leave unanswered and they end up producing crops that decreases the quality of soil and sometimes the value of grains may decrease. The crops are grown even without knowing the soil profile.
This is the dark background that we are going to work upon. Our light of knowledge will shine as beautiful raw crops. We aim to give basic and most significant knowledge and guidance for farmers. No challenge can be addressed without incorporation of technologies and innovations which will bring about a scientific method of crop production. Our idea also extends to generate revenue for our company too.
‘Upaj-Utpadita’ ends with the harvesting of the produces.
Kristfalam-Sāmbhar
Feeding is the approach, production is just a gate. ‘Kristfalam-Sāmbhar’ focuses mainly on post-harvest losses. Post-harvest lossesoccur between harvest and the moment of human consumption. They include on-farm losses, such as when grain isthreshed,winnowed, and dried, as well as losses along the chain during transportation, storage, and processing. Important in many developing countries, particularly in Africa, are on-farm losses during storage when the grain is being stored for auto-consumption or while the farmer awaits a selling opportunity or a rise in prices. In Africa, post-harvest losses from harvest to market sale amount to around 10-20%. Approximately 40% of these losses occur during storage at the farm and market, 30% during processing (drying, threshing, and winnowing), 20% in transport from the field to the homestead/farm, and the remaining 10% during transport to market. The problems start with poor and inappropriate storage conditions or infrastructure. Due to lack of proper silos, they are forced to let their produce in open till they fetch a buyer for their produce, by that time the quality of products may be at risk and will fetch a very low price.
The solutions are already well developed and planned by our knowledge rich ancestors. All that we have to do is to identify the most suitable one for each crop and ensure its feasibility. The corporative system could be beautifully incorporated here. Forming a corporative of 8-10 villages who could come together, collect excess produce and make maximum utilization of the storage facilities. These cooperatives could sell their excess grain to market if they wish so and this will reduce the influence of middlemen in the play.
This session could be simply summarized up as farm to fork.
Apakaw-Prasanskaran
There is no gain without pain. Food has been processed and packaged since the earliest days of man's history on earth. Meat and fish were salted, smoked and dried. Herbs were dried and stored for use as medicines. Alcoholic beverages were made from fruits and cereals. In the early days of traditional food processing, the main aim was preservation to maintain a supply of wholesome, nutritious food during the year and in particular to preserve it for hungry periods, for example when hunting was poor. Food was seldom sold but traded and bartered.
‘Apakaw-Prasanskaran’ is all about processing the produces. Processing definitely fetches a better price in the market compared to raw products.
Upaphalam-Prasanskaran
“In nature, nothing is superfluous, nothing is wasted” rightly quoted by Leonardo da Vinci. Crop production ends us with a lot of byproducts. And ‘Upaphalam-Prasanskaran’ deals with innovative ideas of utilizing the byproducts like straws. Straws can be used to feed cattle or produce ethanol or may even be used to create decorative. Their credibility can be ensured through proper management via cooperatives.
Pannshu-Prasanskaran
Last but not the least ‘Pannshu-Prasanskaran’ deals with organic waste produced inside and outside the farms. This can be used to produce organic manure and biogas. A certain combination of thus produced organic manure along with inorganic manure has proven effects on production. This saves their pockets from purchasing fertilizers from the market.
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