In another inspiring story that results in a positive impact on the environment, a farmer from Madhya Pradesh has used waste glucose bottles to build a successful drip irrigation system. By Amitha Ameen
Very low cost Drip Irrigation System developed by using empty Saline Bottles..!!
Indian Jugaad…,
the master of all technologies..!! pic.twitter.com/tlTRSlIbhL— Biman Saha (@sahateaboard) April 6, 2019
Agriculture is without a doubt the backbone of the Indian society; in fact, our country is a nation of farmers, where a large number of the population still depends on farming as their primary or sole source of income. But Coronavirus, low rainfall, and age-old farming techniques have made the average farmer struggle to keep up with the pace of the modern world.
Due to the lack of proper irrigation and water facilities itself, many farmers have experienced insurmountable losses, resulting in them taking extreme measures to make ends meet. Some states in the country face long-standing droughts and that has resulted in many farmers adapting to new and innovative techniques to withstand their crops against harsh climatic conditions.
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One such inspiring farmer, Ramesh Bariya, hailing from Rotala village in the tribal-dominated district of Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh was struggling to sustain his crops thanks to unpredictable rains, eroded soil, loss of fertility and rising temperatures.
Frustrated by all these varying factors, the 33-year-old farmer approached NAIP (National Agricultural Innovation Project)-KVK scientists around 2009-2010 and with their recommendation he started cultivation in a small patch of land during the winter and monsoon months, ideal for the kind of land he owned.
DRIP IRRIGATION BY USED GLUCOSE BOTTLE= SAVE WATER +SAVE ENVIRONMENT pic.twitter.com/oWzNgG56GA
— Kulbhushan Singh (@KB15019421) September 23, 2019
But due to a delay in monsoon, the farmer faced a heavy loss and once again sought guidance from the NAIP who suggested that he use an irrigation technique that involved repurposing waste glucose bottles. So Bariya bought the bottles for INR 20 per kilogram and cut the upper half to create an inlet for the water.
He hung one of these bottles next to each plant and with the help of the regulator that is normally used for drips in glucose bottles, he was able to maintain a steady flow of water without having to constantly check on them. Through this, the farmer was not only able to make a huge profit but he was also able to put these plastic bottles to good use that would have otherwise taken forever to decompose in a sea of medicinal waste.
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