Innovations In Implements : Processes

Processes Followed by WASSANhttp://www.wassan.org/sri_implements

Ravindra A03-11-2014, AIT, Bangkok

Several farmers’ & others’

innovations around;

• Some Principles :– Posture– Evaluating component

parts– Weight – Women be able to do– Able to manufacture it

locally– soils (clay soils & light soils)– Cost

Stage 1 : Innovators’ workshop

• Scouted for farmers who innovated on weeders and markers

• Organised a workshop with – farmers with implements, Agriculture University (engineers & agronomists), promoters.

• A dialogue on :• What are we looking for?• How do we test?

• An evaluation of all weeders – component wise (handle, the weeding drum, float etc.)

An SRI-Farmer who is also a mechanical engineer – Mr. Kishan Rao put together the best of the components together – named the weeder after his Village Name.

Stage 2 : Developing an Improvised version

• Identified a local fabricator in Hyderabad• Worked with a local fabricator• Arrived at a prototype and tested..& refined • Placed bulk order.• Got this fabricator set .. some initial quality

issues .. corrected.

Fabricator

WASSAN’s promotional

programs

Farmers

Promoters

Govt Programs

• Generating demand

• Quality control

• Help in price negotiation

Other States/ Countries

• Designs are in the manual• & in the web

This fabricator (Paul) has prepared and supplied more than 10000 weeders.

We connect, farmers / promoters to this person.

Prototypes were taken to several places along with SRI promotion anchored by WASSAN : - Uttarakhand- Odisha- Jharkhand- Bihar- Afghanisthan- Other states..

Catering to Scaling up with Government:

Step 1: Worked with the government department on the models- Formed a State level Consortium (WASSAN as secretariat –

with Agrl University, DRR, others)- Convinced the Agrl Department to waive the requirement of

Agrl University formally recommending the weeders- The Consortium – looked at and approved the two weeders

(Mandava & the Crops’ modified) along with the Cono-weeder of University

- Unit costs are arrived at- Got the fabricator (informal industry) as supplier- Some quality control & payment mechanisms established.

Step 1a : Trained labor/ wage workers on using markers and weeders along with the farmers.

Catering to Scaling up with Government:

Step 2: Local fabricators’ training- Worked in collaboration with the Agrl University.- Asked all the promoters to identify a local fabricator

(about 10 fabricators were identified).- A three day training organised for them

- Introduction to SRI and the requirements of weeding etc.- The will all make two types of weeders during the work-shop.- The 1st fabricator was the trainer.- The entire process was filmed.. And the fabricators have taken

the drawings and film along with them.- 1st round orders were placed with them to supply weeders

and markers- Established fabricators them locally.

Catering to Scaling up with Government:

Step 3: Custom hiring centers- It’s a waste of capital for small farmers to buy

weeders and markers.- If these are available for rent, then the need

(headache of) for maintaining the implements / investments are not required.

- Farmers / labor can hire many weeders at one time so that more labor can work at a given point in time.

Catering to Scaling up with Government:

Step 4: Labour contract groups

- Tried to evolve labor contract systems i.e. getting per acre weeding &

transplanting contract in place of daily wage payment.

- Lots of negotiation between farmers / labor groups / facilitating team on ..

- Whether the farmer should pay the entire amount that s/he was paying in conventional system.

- Also attempted a contract labor system – not yet fine-tuned. (i.e. if for a fixed

amount of Rs., the farmer contracts with the SHG Federation; the federation

will take care of transplanting and weeding against a fixed amount of

contract-payment (farmer need to go searching for SRI-skilled labor)

- Labor groups trainings were organised, even supported by the government.