The Bengaluru-based local commerce platform eSamudaay and JSS Rural Incubation Skill and Development Centre (JSS RISDC) will collaborate to work with local entrepreneurs and farmers in Chamarajanagar to produce chemical-free jaggery.
This is part of an initiative to give thrust to rural entrepreneurship with digital and technological intervention and to scale up local businesses and generate employment.
eSamudaay and JSS RISDC have identified the producers and intend to restore the traditional jaggery production units called aalemanes .
A release said there were more than 100 aalemanes situated in and around Chamarajanagar district and most of them used techniques that were unsafe, unhygienic, labour intensive, and also chemicals that may be harmful when consumed.
The objective of the new initiative is to not only restore the jaggery-producing units, but also ensure that the produce is chemical-free as there is a demand for such jaggery in the market. It will also help bring in the best practices and help producers connect with wholesalers and retailers, the release stated.
In the run-up to the initiative, JSS RISDC conducted a two-week workshop with these aalemane operators and formulated an action plan. The plan entails the removal of chemicals from the production process, process automation for better safety and hygiene, and product innovation to make it suitable for urban consumers.
eSamudaay, along with SolutionBuggy, an AI-enabled technology platform, will develop the best practices and bring in experts to help jaggery producers innovate and sell their products to wider and discerning markets, the release added.
eSamudaay will also help with go-to market strategies for these products, and sample orders of over 200 kg have already been received for these chemical-free jaggery bars. As production increases, eSamudaay will connect these producers with merchants and grocers in its network.
Future plans include identification of more producer circles such as jackfruit, arecanut and fish within the next one year, the press release stated.
