OUAT launches climate-resilient farming project in Ganjam
The project is funded by the World Food Programme (WFP) and will be implemented over two years by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Berhampur. "The project will be implanted in 29 villages in Chikiti, Digapahandi, Hinjili and Jagannath Prasad blocks," said Sujit Kumar Nath, principal investigator and senior scientist at KVK.
Four climate adaptation and information centres (CAIC)s have been set up in each block. Each centre will be equipped with automated weather stations (AWS) to provide current and future weather updates and a specially developed mobile app will offer quick access to agricultural guidance to around 7,000 farmers.
"The sensor-based alternate wet and drying machines will be installed in the centre to check the wastage of water. It will also check carbon emissions," said Nath. Climate-resilient paddy variety, 'Chandragiri', has been introduced during the current kharif season as part of the experiment.
Solar based insect traps, wild animal repellent machines, fencing like components will be promoted to ensure year-round income and employment for farmers.
The project assumes significance given frequent natural disasters affect Ganjam. "We hope the project will give a new dimension to farmers against the climate hazard," Nath added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Ludh duo build auto unit to turn waste into compost
Ludhiana: In an interesting achievement for the city youth innovation ecosystem, two Class XII students Abhishek Dhanda and Prabhkirat Singh have developed an innovative automated vermocompost unit for sustainable waste management. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Their innovation, Prithvi Rakshak, is a one-of-a-kind, student-led, fully automated vermicomposting unit that uses advanced technology to convert organic waste into high-quality compost, almost three times faster than conventional methods. The idea first germinated at an innovation event held at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), where the duo initially experimented with kitchen waste and local bio-waste. Inspired by the potential of vermicomposting but frustrated by its slow pace, they began reengineering the process. "We realised the key to speeding up the composting cycle was in creating optimal conditions for the earthworms, mainly temperature and humidity. That's where sensors, robotics, and AI came in," Abhishek said. Using AI-driven temperature and humidity sensors, along with a proprietary bioenzyme formula, the students at BCM Arya Model School, Shastri Nagar succeeded in reducing the traditional composting cycle from 60 to 90 days to just 38 days. Their robotic assistant, VermiDoot, collects and processes organic waste, while their companion mobile app, VermiVeda, helps monitor the system and manage operations remotely. The unit is also IoT-enabled, allowing real-time data tracking. They said that their startup has already processed over 12,000 kg of organic waste monthly, generating Rs 1 lakh in revenue and a single unit could scale to Rs 2.5-Rs 3 lakh per month. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They said the unit also produces vermiwash as byproduct and vermisticks. "Since we are able to observe the parameters 24x7, and also control them to create the most conductive environment, not only is vermicompost create much faster but also of high quality which has optimal moisture, pH and other parameters, for improving soil fertility," said Prabhkirat. Their efforts have earned widespread recognition both nationally and internationally. The students represented India at the IEEE Junior Scientist International Competition in Tunisia, where their work was showcased at Science City. They were also finalists in the Net Zero Carbon Emission Challenge, EcoHackathon Delhi, and Eureka Junior, and ranked among the top 10 in the MESA Business School Pitch Competition. On the home front, they have been lauded in events such as TechNiche at IIT Guwahati winning Rs 45,000 prize, and cash prizes at WRO Nationals and Eco-Innovators Ideathon as well, they said. Their innovation was also among the top 35 out of 1.9 lakh entries in the Eco-Hackathon Showcase, an event co-organised by Amazon and the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), they said. BOX MANAGING & MONETISING WASTE BRAINCHILD of Abhishek Dhanda and Prabhkirat Singh, Class XI students, BCM Arya Model School, Shastri Nagar IDEA GERMINATED at an innovation event held at PAU, where the duo initially experimented with kitchen waste and local bio-waste. Inspired by the potential of vermicomposting but frustrated by its slow pace, they began reengineering the process EUREKA MOMENT Using AI-driven temperature and humidity sensors, along with a proprietary bioenzyme formula, the two succeeded in reducing the traditional composting cycle from 60 to 90 days to just 38 days. Their robotic assistant, VermiDoot, collects and processes organic waste, while their companion mobile app, VermiVeda, helps monitor the system and manage operations remotely. The unit is also IoT-enabled, allowing real-time data tracking MOOLAH MATTERS Their startup has already processed over 12,000 kg of organic waste monthly, generating Rs 1 lakh in revenue and a single unit could scale to Rs 2.5-Rs 3 lakh per month BYPRODUCTS The unit also produces vermiwash as byproduct and vermisticks
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
ICT Mumbai biocluster receives catalytic funding to boost translational biopharma research
Mumbai: In a significant boost to India's translational research ecosystem, ICT Mumbai's Biocluster secured Rs 30 crore in catalytic funding from the Indian Translational Research Institute (ITRI). The translational biopharmaceutical facility aims to bridge the gap between lab-stage research and clinical application. The eight-storey cluster will focus on rare diseases, synthetic biology, and AI-driven drug development. It will house a GMP-ready biologics pilot plant, shared R&D infrastructure, and advanced training zones for workforce development. Dr Ratnesh Jain, Principal Investigator of the project, said the Biocluster aims to make Indian biopharma globally competitive. ITRI CEO Dr Abdur Rub emphasised the need to de-risk innovation and scale healthcare solutions. Positioned as a national translational platform, the Mumbai Biocluster seeks to empower startups, academia, and industry alike—enabling faster, capital-efficient transitions from research to real-world impact. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
OUAT launches climate-resilient farming project in Ganjam
Berhampur: Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) has launched a Rs 70 lakh pilot project in Ganjam district to make farming profitable by adopting climate-resilient measures, officials said. The project is funded by the World Food Programme (WFP) and will be implemented over two years by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Berhampur. "The project will be implanted in 29 villages in Chikiti, Digapahandi, Hinjili and Jagannath Prasad blocks," said Sujit Kumar Nath, principal investigator and senior scientist at KVK. Four climate adaptation and information centres (CAIC)s have been set up in each block. Each centre will be equipped with automated weather stations (AWS) to provide current and future weather updates and a specially developed mobile app will offer quick access to agricultural guidance to around 7,000 farmers. "The sensor-based alternate wet and drying machines will be installed in the centre to check the wastage of water. It will also check carbon emissions," said Nath. Climate-resilient paddy variety, 'Chandragiri', has been introduced during the current kharif season as part of the experiment. Solar based insect traps, wild animal repellent machines, fencing like components will be promoted to ensure year-round income and employment for farmers. The project assumes significance given frequent natural disasters affect Ganjam. "We hope the project will give a new dimension to farmers against the climate hazard," Nath added.
