Solar Based Agro- Innovation centre:
Harsha Trust has been using solar power to run different machines for processing units as alternate power solutions. Thus we established solar micro grids of 20 KW to solve the power problems for these units. As per the need and demand in the village - to run different processing units in a single place through a micro grid - we are running two 5 HP solar pumps, one sugarcane crusher and a rice huller at the S.Keragaon village in Kosagumuda block of Nabarangpur District. This micro grid has solved multiple problems; it has provided irrigation for agriculture purposes and also helped run processing units like a sugarcane crusher and a paddy processor; it has also provided a livelihood option for four SHG members who are managing these units as their business model.
Harsha Trust with the collaboration of Schneider Electric India Foundation (SEIF)decided for this 20 KW micro grid, named as our Solar Agro Innovation Project, a first in Asia, which could provide power to multiple machines for the farmers from a single operation point.
Why did we choose S. Keragaon?
- 231 households in S.Keragaon village of Kosagumuda block, are engaged in different livelihood activities through our projects;
- Among them, 125 farmers are engaged in paddy cultivation covering 220 acres of land;
- 76 farmers are also engaged in sugarcane cultivation covering 51 acres of land;
- 45 farmers are engaged in different kinds of vegetable cultivation in more than 35 acres of land.
Considering the above scenario we installed our 20 KW capacity, solar based agro innovation centre project to operate different projects like two 5HP surface water pumps, one sugarcane crusher machine and a rice huller simultaneously.
This project has benefitted the farmers in the following ways:
- Cost of irrigation for the cultivation of vegetables, sugarcane and paddy has reduced as a result of this model as compared to the earlier models using diesel and electricity;
- Cost of the sugarcane crushing (processing) unit for jiggery was minimized compared to manual or rented machinery with the help of bullocks and human labor;
- For rice processing they depended on the processing unit present in the nearby village, which was costlier and time consuming;
- Village level institutions (4 SHGs) are engaged with the different models and are able to get an extra income for a better life;
- Solar entrepreneurs will earn by being involved in the operation and maintenance of different machines;