The team of IIT Delhi graduates develops a processing technology that converts crop residue (agro-waste) into pulp, which can further use in the manufacturing of cups, tableware, plates and papers and generates revenue which can solve the problem of farmers.
India is an agriculture-oriented country
where approx. 70% of the population is engaged in the agriculture sector. When this
percentage of the population works in a sector then the waste generates from
that will be huge. Although much agricultural waste is settled in different
ways in agricultural activities there is some waste that is not managed
properly like crop residues.
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Image: Wikimedia |
Areas like Punjab and Haryana where
more intensive farming is done has a major issue with the Paddy Straw (Crop
residue). Paddy Straw contains a high amount of silica content which animals
are not able to digest otherwise farmers can utilize the paddy Straw in animal
fodder like the way they use a wheat straw. Due to the less gap between the
seasonal crops, they burn the stubbles in their farms only, which creates air
pollution in nearby areas, and one of the most affected cities by this is the
capital of India. Every year, Delhi faces the pollution caused by the burning
of stubbles. Although the government had implemented restrictions and
introduced fine on the burning of stubble, farmers do that because it is more
cost-effective for them. To tackle the problem created by the burning of crop
residue, some IIT Delhi graduates came up with a plan.
![]() |
Image: Wikimedia |
The team of IIT Delhi graduates
develops a processing technology that converts crop residue (agro-waste) into
pulp, which can further use in the manufacturing of cups, tableware, plates and
papers and generates revenue which can solve the problem of farmers.
Kriya Labs, a startup that is
incubated in IIT Delhi had developed this processing unit and it can work on a small
scale as well as on large scale. The lab developed the process by which they
are able to segregate the silica content and lignin (organic polymer) of the
paddy straw. In this process, natural
biodegradable chemicals are used. Once the
pulp is formed it can be dried and mold in different shapes, it is estimated
that from 1 tonne of stubble 500 kg of the pulp can be produced and can be sold
at a price of Rs. 40-45 per kg. This can help farmers to generate extra income
from waste at Rs. 2-3 per kg. All the units of this process are decentralized
and it costs around Rs. 30-35 Lakh to set up a processing unit. It can process
around 2 tonnes of stubble in a day. Kriya Labs is connecting with farmers of
the nearby areas and explaining their process.
The process is completely an
integrated technological process and uses all organic biodegradable chemicals
for processing. In this way, on the one side, the startup is helping in
reducing the burning of stubble, and on the other hand, they are giving
incentives to farmers for giving their stubble. The technology can empower
rural India, as they will be getting money for their so-called waste as well as
farmers will be able to know the importance of their agricultural waste.
Really very Informative
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI am interested to setup small scale plant of processing rice & wheat straw into pulp for my village. Can we have contact detail and plant setup details.
ReplyDeleteRgds/ Harshit
harshit.g.08@gmail.com
Thank You for showing Interest in the project.
ReplyDeleteI have mailed you the details about the same on your Mail ID.
Kindly check upon that.